Blind lawn bowler Koh Kwee Boon bags gold at Asian c'ships

Sport has always been a huge part of Koh Kwee Boon’s life.

From young, he dabbled in sports like tennis, squash and swimming and, even after he was diagnosed at 40 with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that causes a gradual loss of vision, he remained physically active.

But he “never excelled in anything” until lawn bowls came along in 2023. Just 19 months after picking up the sport, the 70-year-old won his first medal – a gold at the Asia Bowls for the Disabled Championships on Oct 19.

Together with his guide Goh Pheng Soon, Koh, who is legally blind, clinched the B2 men’s singles title at the National Sport Training Centre (Muak Lek) in Saraburi, Thailand, after beating Hong Kong’s 2022 Asian Para Games silver medallist Iron Tang in the final.

The Singaporean said: “It means a great deal because it’s the first time I’ve won a medal in the singles event and it’s nice that it’s gold.

“When SDSC (the Singapore Disability Sports Council) asked me what my expectations were, I told them I would just be happy to reach the second round.

“My director (Goh) and I performed beyond expectations, so we’re very happy with that.”

This was just Koh’s second international singles competition, the first being the Thailand Open Para Lawn Bowls International in July 2023.

While his first international outing was “very tense”, Koh felt much more relaxed when he returned to Thailand this time after taking a three-day holiday in Batam with his wife and friends just before the competition.

He topped his group after an 18-10 win over Tang and a 14-8 loss to Thailand’s Boripat Chongvivattanatham, setting up a semi-final clash with compatriot Lim Ting Peng which Koh won 21-8 for a rematch with Tang in the final.

And although the score was much closer, Koh prevailed 12-10.

Helen Lee, coach of the Singapore para-lawn bowls team, said of Koh: “He had been improving consistently, but he had not faced these kinds of competitors before.

“But when he beat Iron the first time, I knew his chances were good.”

Ironically, Koh had little interest in lawn bowls when he first encountered the sport 19 years ago during a holiday in New Zealand.

It was only in March 2023 when lawn bowler Mahendran Pasupathy, who represented Singapore at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, took him to a club practice session that marked the start of a stimulating journey.

Koh said: “I realised that it was a really challenging game, it wasn’t just rolling a ball, there are tactics and techniques involved and strategy needed to manage it.

“It requires accuracy too – you have to focus to get your basics right so that you’re able to execute.”

His interest was clear from the start, with Lee noting that Koh did his own research and they often have debates to discuss their different views on certain techniques and tactics.

Goh, a childhood friend of Koh’s younger brother Kwee Lam, also highlighted the septuagenarian’s perseverance during their training sessions since they started working together in March.

A retiree, Goh’s role is to give feedback about things like where the bowl lands and how far away the target is, as Koh does not have central vision and can only see no more than 2m in front of him.

On their gold in Thailand, Goh, 68, said: “It’s incredibly rewarding. I’m proud of the hard work and teamwork that has led to the win... We’re both enjoying this sport – it’s good for everyone, it’s accessible. We hope more people can enjoy this inclusive and engaging sport.”

As for Koh, the title has whetted his appetite as he aims for a spot in Singapore’s contingent to the next Asean Para Games in January 2026 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.