Adam McKeown describes the last couple of years as a whirlwind.
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Last August he shot to fame as part of the Northern Ireland team which won its country's first Commonwealth Games gold medal in bowls in 24 years and this week he found himself competing 15,000 kilometres from home.
McKeown is the skipper of the Northern Irish team which is one of the star attractions at the Club Dubbo BCiB International Fours, the richest event of its kind in the world.
The $100,000 event was reaching its midway point on Friday morning when McKeown spoke what it meant to be competing in Dubbo and seeing so many young people, like himself, competing in a tournament which has provided the sport with a real boost.
"Australia is leading the way for young people," 22-year-old McKeown said.
"There's so many more chances over here. Back home we've maybe got 50 or 100 people who are young enough to play but here it's everywhere you look."
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At the midway point of the competition on Friday the Northern Irish team of McKeown, Simon Beggs, Sam Barkley and Ali Coleman was firmly in contention for the title.
They entered the competition as one of the teams to beat, despite not knowing anything about the carnival until recently.
"It's completely different to back home, the size of the tournament and the money on offer," McKeown said.
"It's just great to be here and mix with the top players.
"We were down in Melbourne for 10 days and playing a few guys from Scotland and they mentioned there was a tournament up this way and the magnitude of it, so it tied in well with our trip.
"We're staying in Maitland and it's not too far. We decided to enter and take a chance."
The team was also proving popular among rival teams and fans watching on, with plenty of jokes and fun being had around the greens throughout the early rounds.
The four Northern Irishmen had been tested in those early games and only just defeated a team led by former Australian great Karen Murphy on Thursday afternoon.
That clash was a special one for McKeown and his teammates as the likes of Murphy and Steve Glasson are among the Aussie stars who they used to watch when they were kids.
To win gold was incredible.
- Adam McKeown on winning at Commonwealth Games
The opportunity to play with and against those players has all added to the special time McKeown has had in the sport in recent times.
"The past year has been a whirlwind," he said.
"The Commonwealth Games were unbelievable and it's just kicked on. To be out here and see the likes of Karen Murphy and 'Glasso' (Steve Glasson), the people you used yo watch on TV, it's just great."
The gold medal win last year was one of the highlights of the Commonwealth Games last year for Northern Ireland.
McKeown and Sam Barkley were part of that team and part of the four competing at Dubbo.
"To win gold was incredible," McKeown said.
"To do it with three guys I was really close with, it was just great for everyone back home. To win the first one in 24 years was incredible."
The Commonwealth Games were held in Birmingham, which had surfaces vastly different to those in Dubbo.
Despite all the rain in the western region in recent times there was still plenty of pace in the Club Dubbo greens and it was something all teams had to come to grips with.
"The greens are a lot quicker and the bowls are a lot straighter," McKeown said.
"It's a different game, a more attacking game. There's such a large array of talent and you have to play so well in every game to compete.
"We're lucky we've played one some quick greens at home. You're just adjusting and trying to find the lines that work for you and what shots give you the biggest chance of making a conversion."
McKeown added he would be happy to return to Dubbo in the coming years for the BCiB International Fours, even if getting around Australia was a little different to what he was used to.
"Four hours isn't much in Australia but four hours gets you from one end to the other in Ireland," McKeown laughed.
"But everyone has been terrific and the facilities are first class."
The finals of the BCiB International Fours start on Saturday and the grand final is scheduled to start at 2.45pm.
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