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Family of bakers on a roll as they take four Island Games medals

Family of bakers on a roll as they take four Island Games medals

BBC News5 days ago
The family of bakers have been on a roll, taking four medals at the lawn bowls during the 20th International Island Games in Orkney.Members of the Rendall family secured two gold and two silver medals across all five events, taking Orkney to the top of the medals table for the bowls competition.Mum and dad Ruth and George Rendall and son and daughter in-law Greg and Isla Rendall all scooped medals.George described the result as a "pleasant surprise" and said it was an "honour" to play alongside his family.
On Tuesday for the men's pairs Mark Causer and George Rendall won gold. Isla Rendall went home with silver from the women's singles while Ruth Rendall and her first cousin Lizzie McConnachie won silver in the women's pairs.The pressure was then on Greg Rendall when he competed in the men's triples with Barrie Bruce and Kevin Watters, but he rose to the occasion. "I suppose there is a titch of relief there. I mean overall, I'm just chuffed for everybody, for the whole club," he said.
The family regularly play together but often as opponents.George said: "It's always very good to play with the family. It's always been a bit of rivalry between Isla and Greg and me and Ruth with lunch games and stuff. "But it's an honour to all be playing and it's an even bigger honour to come away with a medal today."Both Isla and her father in-law, George, say the crowds motivated them with about 500 spectators visiting the green every day. They hope a boost to the sport's popularity will be a legacy of the games. "A lot of them didn't know where the bowling green was, so hopefully we will see a few more of them on it once the games is by," said George.Isla said: "Being at the bowling green compared to what we are used to, it was like centre court at Wimbledon or something. "The shouts and the cheers, it certainly did me a lot of good anyway knowing you have the home crowd behind you. It's just something you can't describe."
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