Metung lawn bowler Clint Overton has been selected to represent Deaf Bowls Australia at the upcoming Australian Open Bowls, marking a significant milestone in the sport’s development at elite level.
Overton, who plays pennant bowls for Metung in the Gippsland Bowls Region, earned selection following strong performances alongside other deaf and hard of hearing bowlers from across Victoria at the recent Deaf Bowls Victorian Championships, held at Ocean Grove Bowls Club.
The state championships are held annually at rotating host clubs across Victoria, providing competitive opportunities for members of Deaf Bowls Victoria.
This year’s Australian Open will feature Deaf Bowls Singles for the first time, with 32 deaf and hard of hearing bowlers set to compete. It also marks the first time deaf athletes will be permitted to compete in disability pairs events alongside other bowlers with disability classifications.
Overton said joining Deaf Bowls Victoria this year had been a turning point in his bowling experience.
“This is the first year I’ve competed with Deaf Bowls Victoria and I feel my bowling will only improve because I’ve found my people,” he said.
“Deaf Bowls Victoria is more than just a club — it’s a community of like-minded deaf and hard of hearing people navigating a hearing world.”
He said participation in mainstream competitions could often be challenging due to communication barriers.
“Many of us struggle to find players who will play with us in tournaments because they don’t understand how we communicate. Being part of this group means we understand each other and can form teams to compete together against hearing bowlers.”
Deaf Bowls has operated internationally for around 50 years, and Overton said the expansion of competition opportunities at the Australian Open represented important progress for the sport.
Eligibility for Deaf Bowls Victoria requires a hearing loss of 40 decibels or more in the better ear, supported by an audiogram, while selection for Deaf Bowls Australia requires a hearing loss of 55 decibels or more.
Overton was born with high-frequency nerve deafness and has worn hearing aids since the age of five. Following a serious truck accident resulting in long-term concussion, he said his hearing has further deteriorated, with an 80 per cent loss in his left ear and 90 per cent loss in his right. He is currently on the waiting list for a cochlear implant.
He said public perceptions of deafness often fail to reflect the lived experience of those with hearing loss.
“Many people in the hearing world ask why deafness is a disability,” he said.
“When we don’t wear hearing aids or cochlear implants, we can experience balance issues. In deaf competitions, no one wears hearing aids, which creates a fair playing field.”
He also highlighted the cognitive effort required to interpret spoken language.
“For a deaf person it can take around 90 per cent of brain capacity to comprehend a sentence, compared to about 10 per cent for a hearing person. By the time we process information, conversations have often moved on.”
He said this can lead to misunderstandings in everyday interactions.
“A lot of people say, ‘I don’t look deaf’. But how is a deaf person meant to look?”
Overton said improved recognition of deafness as a disability within Victorian bowls remains a key issue, noting that other states already formally recognise it. He hopes increased visibility at events such as the Australian Open and the Australian Deaf Games will help drive change and highlight the competitiveness of deaf athletes.
The Australian Deaf Games will also be held in Queensland in July, with more than 50 deaf and hard of hearing bowlers expected to compete alongside athletes from other deaf sporting disciplines.
