Atkinson ready to tackle The Nationals
The past three years have seen Victoria’s Samantha Atkinson grow into a serious threat on the green, and she is ready to take her form to The Nationals for the first time.
Fresh off the 2023 Australian Indooor Championships women’s singles title in August, the Richmond Union product will fly west to Perth for two campaigns across the fortnight.
First come the Australia Sides Championships, in which the 29-year-old will play as one of the three skips in the Victorian outfit.
Following that it will be the Australian Championships, where she will feature in the women’s pairs and triples with her mother Sheryl, to be joined in the latter by Maureen Leighton.
Speaking on Bowls Australia’s (BA) ‘Without Bias’ program, Atkinson labels the Sides as one of the most coveted events on the calendar and looks forward to teaming up with her mum in the second week.
“The last two or three years have seen exponential growth from me, playing a number of test series for Victoria,” she said.
“But Sides is the pinnacle event for bowls in Australia and it’s always an honour and privilege to be selected for the Big V and it’s an amazing group of players representing the state.
“I’m also looking forward to the Australian Championships where I’ll play pairs with my mum and be joined by our good friend Maureen Leighton in the triples.”
The selection for Sides comes after some strong form for her state, but also on the back of the Indoors two months ago, where she clinched the title over Right at Home Pathways Jackaroo Reese Finn-Young in the decider.
It has been a period of elation, being chosen to skip a rink before taking home one of the major annual trophies on offer to bowlers in the nation.
“We’ve had a few test series this year so I’ve been lucky enough to travel to Warilla and Sorrento actually,” she said.
“I though my performance was on point and hoping that it would continue in order to be selected but i was quite surprised and honoured to be selected as a skip.
“The Indoors was surreal, I’d never been to the event before so my goal was to not get knocked out in the first round and make a semifinal.
“So to come away with the win, especially with my parents both being rinkside is a moment that I’ll look back on and cherish forever.”
Bowls is such a unique sport in a way that a player can participate at the highest level with one of their parents or a member of the family, especially at The Nationals.
That fact is not lost on the three-time Victorian champion, who is relishing the opportunity to play with her mother on one of the biggest stages.
“I’m thrilled at the opportunity, being able to play with family and friends is is one of the great opportunities of our sport,” Atkinson said.
“This one will be especially important and special for our family so I’m very much looking forward to it.”
Catch up on Without Bias via our Youtube channel.
The 2023 Nationals will run from October 6-20, 2023, with live streaming to take place on Bowls Australia’s Facebook and YouTube channels.
The 2023 Nationals in Perth, Western Australia is proudly supported by Tourism Western Australia, City of Joondalup, and the State government through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and Lotterywest in Western Australia. Sport and recreation creates vibrant, inclusive and connected WA communities.
