Lawn bowler Jo Edwards shows off her Commonwealth Games gold medal. Photo: Phillip Rollo.

Golden girl returns home

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Two weeks after winning gold at the Commonwealth Games, lawn bowler Jo Edwards has finally arrived back in Nelson – and to a very warm reception.

Jo, who won the women’s singles in Glasgow, was the only Nelson athlete to pick up a gold medal at the Games.

To greet her at Nelson Airport on Friday night was a loud crowd of about 30 people, including members of the United Bowling Club – which produced two other medallists in Val Smith and Amy Mcilroy – and her family.

Jo told the Nelson Weekly that winning gold in Glasgow was one of her proudest moments. “Each and every one of them has a certain place in my heart. The first one is always pretty cool  but I think 12 years down the track, especially with the amount of young players coming through, it’s just a real achievement.”

She was a little overwhelmed with the reception at Nelson Airport. “It was a little worrying thinking no one would be here, but it’s just fantastic. Everyone who was here plays a big part in what I do, and while I get the rewards, at the end of the day there’s a big team behind me,” she says. “We’re only a little club at United, but it produces some amazing talent.”