Craig Bowler is still living the highs and lows of last summer’s Commonwealth Games.

Competing at the spiritual home of the sport in Leamington Spa, the aptly-named Buckinghamshire bowls star and partner Kieran Rollings bagged a brilliant bronze medal in the men’s pairs B6-8 classification.

Olney native Bowler, 44, is a triple amputee after attempting to take his own life 15 years ago and spending nearly two months in a coma.

He lost both his legs and an arm before he was ‘nursed back to life’ by his physiotherapist’s assistant, Abby, with the two remarkably NOW married and having two children, Max and Tilly.

The Commonwealth Games was a summer like no other for Bowler, handing a taste of the tumultuous twists and turns that the very highest levels of sport can bring.

“The experience was mentally exhausting, the highs and the lows. We played absolutely brilliantly together, me and Kieran, and we only lost two games,” said Bowler, who was speaking ahead of Bowls’ Big Weekend on May 26-29.

“In the first match we lost to Scotland, so that was quite a disappointing start. Then we played Australia, and we beat them in the round robin, so we were quite confident. We kept winning and then we made the semi-final.

“They moved us onto a different green and the Australians found it a lot quicker than we did, so we lost the gold and silver place which was absolutely gutting - especially when you’ve got to go through the media tent and put on a brave face.

“I went away for most of the day, and I think I slept for 12 hours. I was absolutely mentally exhausted. Then we came back out and there was no chance we were going to lose that bronze medal, and it showed.

“We ended up winning 13-4 in the end. We won the bronze and were on such a high, but then the para girls lost the bronze, so you’re back down on that lowness again.

“It’s a strange experience, but I loved it.”

Bowls’ Big Weekend is taking place between 26-29 May, with clubs across the country holding open days to encourage new players to give the sport a go.

The event gives the bowls community the great opportunity to come together and celebrate the sport, with clubs across the country opening their doors for free to enable new participants to discover everything that is great about the game.

If you have been affected by the article, please visit www.bucksmind.org.uk or www.samaritans.org.