2 minutes with...MARK WALTON
MARK WALTON will be hoping to become the first man this afternoon to win the singles/pairs double in 14 years at this year's Hong Kong International Bowls Classic at Kowloon Bowling Green Club. Walton became the first Englishman to win the Hong Kong singles title last week and the 38-year-old Yorkshireman hopes to follow in the footsteps of Scottish duo Graham Robertson and George Adrain and Hong Kong great George Souza.
You beat South Africa's Eric Johannes in last week's Classic singles final. Was it a nice feeling to win on your debut here?
Very much so. To get the invite to come over here was special. To win it was even better. I had heard of the Classic when I was a child. I had a good year in England, winning the National singles.
You didn't expect to win here, did you?
Not at all. I was just glad to win the first game. It just got better. The more I played, the better I got. Back home, we play indoors because it's all winter. The weather is lovely here.
Did you have difficulty dealing with the transition from playing outdoors to indoors?
Indoor greens tend to be a lot faster so it takes time to adjust. These greens [at Kowloon Bowling Green Club] are playing quite quick compared to what we are used to, so it wasn't too bad.
Did you win any prize money for winning the singles?
I haven't got any yet. It's the prestige of winning the title that counts. Apparently, I am the first Englishman to win it. It's a good competition and they are all international bowlers.
What is your background?
I'm 38 and married with three children. I am a manager for an engineering company, which I have worked for since I left school.
How did get involved in bowls?
I watched my dad and I went with him and liked what I saw.
With Graham Shadwell, do you have the ideal partner in pairs?
Yeah, we get on very well. We have faith in each other's play too. It's been very enjoyable. We have been bowling three times a day so we really haven't had a chance to see the city. It would be nice to have a day off to see the sights.
