By Dan Marshall

Six years after a near fatal accident, Nanaimo’s Gus Thorne is a national champion lawn bowler

Nov 4, 2016 | 10:21 AM

NANAIMO — He lost his sight, he was in a coma for three months, and as Gus Thorne puts it – he had to re-learn everything.

The 35-year-old was in a near fatal motorcycle accident in 2010. On his long road to recovery he discovered lawn bowling. Thorne takes a positive approach to everything he does. After playing football, rugby and lacrosse in his younger days he knew he wanted to get back to playing sports again somehow.

“Blindness is just a characteristic I have now. It doesn’t define me and I don’t want to live with low expectations. You can do anything as long as you put effort into it,” said Thorne.

Three years ago he started lawn bowling, and with the help of his coach Don Sherry, Gus found he was very good at it. So good that he qualified for provincials this past August and won. Then Thorne went to the Nationals, which were held in Delta, and became the Men’s Singles Canadian Champion. He competed against four other blind bowlers in the B1 category and won, despite the rest of the field each having more than 10 years of experience.

Thorne says the role his coach plays is massive. He says coach Sherry tells him where to go, where to aim up to, and he can tell where to move by the sound of Sherry’s voice. The two of them have a relationship that goes back alot further than three years of lawn bowling.

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“He used to be my principal at Seaview Elementary,” said Thorne. “I was one of those kids who got put in the office quite a bit. I had my own special chair. He told me that I never really listened, but now with this gold medal it proves that I listen to my principal – we won a gold medal together.”

Now the pair have a new challenge – the World Championship of Lawn Bowling for the Visually Impaired. That event is in South Africa in March with 11 countries competing. Thorne is practicing once a week at the Qualicum Beach Lawn Bowling Club. That will ramp up to three times a week after Christmas. He knows getting to the World’s will take some fundraising as well.

“I made a fundraising site. My goal is to make $12,000 and that goal will send me and my director Don to South Africa in March. We’re going to be there for two weeks,” said Thorne. 

The fundraising is at about 62 per cent of the goal so far, and there will be other local fundraising events as well. That includes a beer and burger night that will be happening at the Windward Pub on Jan. 12.

According to David Burns, who’s helping Thorne with his training, the key to Thorne and Sherry being such a great tandem is trust.

Neither one could have imagined they’d one day have a chance to win a World Championship together when Gus was sitting in his spot outside Principal Sherry’s office.

To help Gus and Don on their journey to South Africa, you can donate here: https://makeachamp.com/gusthorne

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Weekend Scoreboard

BCHL

Clippers vs Chilliwack – Friday 7 p.m. Frank Crane Arena
Clippers vs Merritt – Sunday 2 p.m. Frank Crane Arena

VIJHL

Buccaneers @ Comox Valley – Saturday 7:30 p.m. Comox Valley Sports Centre

BCMML

Silvertips vs Kootenay – Saturday 4:45 p.m. Frank Crane Arena
Silvertips vs Kootenay – Sunday 8 a.m. Frank Crane Arena

PACWEST

Mariners Women’s Volleyball @ Columbia Bible College – Friday 6 p.m. Columbia Place
Mariners Men’s Volleyball @ Columbia Bible College – Friday 8 p.m. Columbia Place
Mariners Women’s Volleyball @ Columbia Bible College – Saturday 1 p.m. Columbia Place
Mariners Men’s Volleyball @ Columbia Bible College – Saturday 3 p.m. Columbia Place

Mariners Women’s Basketball vs Douglas College – Friday 6 p.m. VIU Gymnasium
Mariners Men’s Basketball vs Douglas College – Friday 8 p.m. VIU Gymnasium
Mariners Women’s Basketball vs Capilano – Saturday 1 p.m. VIU Gymnasium
Mariners Men’s Basketball vs Capilano – Saturday 3 p.m. VIU Gymnasium

BC High School Football

John Barsby vs Hugh Boyd – Friday 2 p.m. Merle Logan Field
NDSS @ Windsor – Friday 3:45 p.m. Windsor Secondary School

VISL

Nanaimo United FC @ VI Wave – Saturday 12 p.m. 

BC Rugby Union

Nanaimo Hornets @ Port Alberni – Saturday 1 p.m. Port Alberni