Horse racing maybe the sport of kings, but I can neither ride nor am I a king so I settled for the next best option the sport of pins that of the bowling variety.  So on Wednesday the 7th nine Olympians rocked up to the Barnsley Metrodome leisure complex to toss some balls and rattle some pins, So first things first we needed to get kitted up... Beer and shoes, granted we did struggle to find a pair that matched Gemma's outfit but we eventually found her a natty little pair, open toed with a Cuban heel and a tasteful Velcro strap so we could finally hit the lanes, let battle commence.

In the boys lane the early pace was set but Joe "Ginger Roller" Worthington and Scott "Scatter Gun" Kaye, points for artistic impression for their bowling style should go to Ollie "Vigorous" Hyde but after frames 4 and 5 The Ginger roller and the Scatter guns challenge started to wan leaving game one to be fought out by Ian "Pin Basher" Bragger and Richard "The Machine" Grange with the latter just edging the later frames win a close fought first match.

Over in the girls game the it was good to see the unmistakeable bowling style of Gemma "Distain" Fletcher as she sent pins flying, but was pushed all the way by Kirstie "Slinger" Barnett and Charlie "Gutter Ball" , but breaking away from her past form Debbie "Bowling Hater" Tills came from nowhere to claim victory in the first game.  

We interviewed the "Bowling Hater" and asked her how she managed to raise her game to this whole new level, whether it involved a new training schedule or coaching, but she apparently been applying a more psychological approach to her game claiming her victory was all down to her lucky odd socks in which she never fails when she wears them, so in game 2 she must have taken them off because normal service was resumed and the "Distain" was firing on all cylinders as she sent the pins flying and was unstoppable in claiming the second game in the girly lane.

Back in the boys lane and "The Machine" got into the swing, pin after pin fell to his ultra accurate bowling leaving the other bowlers in his wake and appeared to be coasting to an easy second victory, until the "Ginger Roller" stepped forward for his last frame, he then proceeded to throw not one not two but three strikes dragging himself into the lead, but "The Machine" wasn't fazed and limped over the finish line to claim victory.

By Social Director, Richard Grange