A cricketer at heart turns into bowls prodigy
His dedication and talent in the sport earned him a bronze medal at the Gauteng Open U15 Bowls Tournament held at Wingate in Pretoria on June 28 to 29.
Riccardo shared his excitement about the achievement. 'Very chuffed on getting a medal again, following my silver medal from last year, so I'm hoping for gold in 2026.'
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Riccardo said his journey into bowls started unexpectedly. 'We used to frequent Morningside Country Club for cricket practice at the nets, and my Dad and I thought to give bowls a go one day. We enjoyed it very much.'
Since then, Riccardo has embraced the sport, finding new joy and camaraderie in every game.
A memorable highlight was winning his section and performing well in the semi-finals at Wingate.
'Winning my section and having a good game in the semi-final was the biggest highlight of the tournament. And I would like to thank Wingate Bowls for being so welcoming to us all.'
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Playing alongside cricket legend Gerry Baker, whom Riccardo admires greatly, was also a special moment. 'I was a little sick for a week before, so my preparation wasn't the best, but I rolled a few times and had an internal pairs match with Gerry Baker, which was awesome to play with,' he said.
'Gerry Baker has been the most influential to me in bowls. Listening and learning from him at Morningside is great to have,' Riccardo added.
Riccardo said he didn't encounter any challenges because he loves to be challenged.
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'I play a lot of cricket, and that's my main sport. I'm only 12, so perhaps being one of the youngest makes it a little difficult, but I love the challenge and try to play bowls and not the man or girl.'
Looking ahead, Riccardo's focus remains on enjoying the game and improving his skills rather than chasing immediate titles.
'My cricket comes first, and then bowls. I don't have any big ambitions, just enjoying and playing my best. I'd like to do well in the open men's category starting on July 12.'
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