In the aftermath of her historic double gold medal haul at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth games, Ellen Ryan sits down with the Post to unpack what has been a life-changing week for the 25-year old.
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Goulburn Post (GP): "Congratulations! How does it feel to be a dual gold medalist!?"
Ellen Ryan (ER): "It still feels so weird. I keep thinking 'what has actually happened?' It's such an amazing feeling."
GP: "How long have you been building to this moment? When did you seriously start believing you could medal at a games?"
ER: "It's been my long term goal since I started playing bowls. My dream was to always play at the Commonwealth Games but to win two gold, wowee.
"I started believing I could make the team in 2017 when Bowls Australia sent five girls and five boys to the UK for a multi-nations series. I was lucky enough to play with Aussie legend Kelsey Cottrell in the pairs which we came home with gold and then I got silver in the women's singles."
HOW ELLEN WON GOLD
GP: "How do you stay calm in the big moments? Both finals went right down to the wire."
ER: "I think it's my personality, that's sort of how I stay clam. I'm a pretty chilled person at the best of times but definitely my coach Kaz and Krissy helped a lot high calming my nerves to.
"My singles game I was down at the start but I was always confident that I was going to make a good comeback. I actually didn't know that I had won until the Aussie crowd went wild.
"With my pairs final, wowee, what a great game to be apart of and credit to the English girls for a great game.
"I keep reliving my last bowl, and seeing Krissy and Kaz run up the green. I couldn't have asked for a better finish."
GP: How good. What's next for you?
ER: "I have world bowls next year to aim for now. It's on the Gold Coast."
GP: "Looking forward to getting home to Goulburn?"
ER: "I land at Canberra airport mid morning Wednesday and I can't wait to get home to Goulburn. I know when I drove out of Goulburn past the Big Merino I cried.
"I'm sure I'll do the same thing on arriving back home."
GP: What's the first thing you'll do when you get home?
ER: The first thing I'll do when I get home is going and see my Dad and sister.
"The Goulburn community has truly been amazing, I can't thank everyone enough for all their support. I can't wait to celebrate with you all and share all my amazing memories.
'Oh and eat a great big eye fillet steak with veggies for dinner!"
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