Treasured bowling balls belonging to the world champion bowler, Milika Nathan, have gone missing and the New Zealand school teacher, says they are pretty important to her high-level performance.
Representing Tonga, she created history winning the Women’s Singles World Champion at the World Bowls Champion of Champions held in New Zealand in November 2024. She is the first Tongan to win a world championship in any sport.
The balls she won with were inside her car that was stolen last Saturday morning, 8 February, from outside her house at Huapai, north-west of Auckland. She reported the theft of her white Toyota Aqua - number plate PGL402 to Police.
Milika told TVNZ’s Daniel Faitaua on the Seven Sharp program last night that the balls were tailor-made and she had practiced with them for five years.
“I guess they are pretty important. I would have kept them forever, since I won the World Championship and I don’t know if I’d do that again…and also I just play best with them.
“When I saw that my car was missing and my bowls were inside, I was off to a tournament and I just used different bowls and it was no good.
“When you just practice with them for so many years you get used to them.”
Her humble message to the thieves was: “It would be nice if you brought them back! Yeah, especially if I can keep those bowls.”
She said her car went missing along with some other cars in the area. She has borrowed a car because she travels far from Kumeu to Northcote to get to school.
