GROWING up as a representative Aussie Rules player and keen basketballer, Terry McInnes never imagined it would be in lawn bowls that he’d make his name.
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But despite not taking up the sport seriously until his mid-30s, McInnes has spent the past three decades proving age is no barrier to sporting success.
Last Saturday, the 64-year-old was one of four new faces inducted into Queanbeyan’s Sporting Hall of Fame alongside duel international Kristy Giteau, Australian Rugby Sevens representative Lewis Holland and archer Dakota Smith.
Having established himself as one of the region’s premier lawn bowlers in recent times, McInnes’ career record includes 353 representative games for the ACT.
He’s also claimed the ACT Pairs and ACT Triples crowns three times apiece, the ACT Fours crown twice and the ACT Mixed Pairs once.
And just last month he was named as the ACT’s player of the series at the Australian Over-60s championships in Geelong.
A Queanbeyan native, McInnes these days lives in Canberra and bowls for Weston Creek but said it was an honour to be recognised in his hometown.
“One of the guys [at Weston Creek] said to me they’d spoken to some people in Queanbeyan about my involvement in bowls and possibly being inducted into the hall of fame,” McInnes said.
“I just thought, ‘yeah, right’o, good luck’, but it just went from there. Being a local Queanbeyan boy, I’m stoked, it’s terrific.
“Queanbeyan’s produced some great sportsmen and women over the years and just to be linked in any way shape of form with that history; I feel very lucky.”
McInnes was joined at the Queanbeyan Leagues Club on Saturday night by Giteau and Smith for the official induction ceremony. Holland is currently in camp with the Australian Sevens side and was unable to attend.
Giteau, the sister of former Wallaby Matt and the daughter of former Canberra Raider Ron, was recognised for her achievements representing Australia in both rugby league and rugby union and schoolgirls’ basketball.
Holland has been a member of the Australia Sevens side since 2010 while Smith is the youngest of the inductees at just 18.
Despite having only recently completed Year 12, Smith already boasts an enviable sporting record having captured more than 60 Australian archery records with his longbow.
