Two young Logan City Tenpin bowlers are preparing to represent Australia at the 2026 International Bowling Federation World Youth Championships in Malaysia.
Bella Westlake, 17, and Jackson Buckingham, 20, are among eight Australian bowlers selected for the championships, which run from 27 June to 7 July at Megalanes Sarawak Bowling Centre in Kuching, Sarawak.
Competition starts on 28 June.
Logan City Tenpin manager Janine Buckingham said Bella and Jackson earned selection through Australia’s high-performance pathway, where results in tournaments around the country help determine who makes the national squad.
“Everyone bowls in tournaments around Australia and, from their performances, they make it into that squad,” she said.
“Bella and Jackson were the top of their ranks for their age division, so that is why they got chosen.”
Bella said her selection for the Asian Junior Championships had been a defining moment.
“I think getting selected was really a wow moment,” she said.
“Being like, I’m good enough to bowl for the country.”
The Year 12 student said her preparation had intensified ahead of worlds.
“I train about three times a week and I also bowl two leagues, so I bowl about five times a week,” she said.
“I’m travelling from Ipswich to Logan at 9.30 at night, so obviously I’m out for quite a bit of time.”
Jackson first started league bowling at 10 and has bowled competitively for about six years.
He said Malaysia would be his third world team and his sixth time representing Australia, after previously bowling overseas in Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand.
Jackson is also balancing training, league bowling and weekend tournaments with an automotive electrical apprenticeship.
“It does get to you, though,” he said.
“It makes you tired, mentally drained and physically drained at the same time.”
Ms Buckingham said competitive bowling was often overlooked because many people saw it only as a social activity.
She said the athletes trained early in the morning, late at night and had also travelled to train with Australian head coach Cameron Walsh.
Despite representing Australia, she said the trip was self-funded, with athletes and families covering tournament fees, uniforms, accommodation, airfares and equipment costs.
“These kids put as much training and practice and sacrifice in as any other sport,” she said.
Bella said she hoped more people would start seeing bowling as a sport.
“If we can get people to start supporting it a lot more and seeing it more as a sport, I think the sport would get a lot more attention,” she said.
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