NATSHA Van Eldik still gets "goosebumps" thinking about the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast four years ago.
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The lawn bowler claimed two gold medals on home soil in what was a career highlight.
However, van Eldik knows history needs to be made if she's to defend those titles in Birmingham over the next fortnight, going where no Aussie has gone before.
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"Australia has never won a [Commonwealth Games] gold medal in the northern hemisphere," van Eldik told ACM.
"It's the one medal that's still begging and on everyone's radar. It's exactly what we want. It's the most prepared team we've ever sent to the northern hemisphere so we'll definitely give it a red-hot crack."
Van Eldik, who still represents Raymond Terrace Bowling Club but is now based at Port Macquarie, is heading to her fourth Commonwealth Games.
The 31-year-old debuted as a teenager in India in 2010, before a campaign in Glasgow in 2014 and most recently the Gold Coast in 2018.
Birmingham in 2022, with competition getting underway on Friday, sees her playing women's triples and fours.
Van Eldik says the lead up has been ideal to get ready for the different UK conditions, with greens much slower than Australia.
The Jackaroos recently used a specially-made rink at Queensland's Mount Tamborine and visited the Royal Leamington Spa venue as part of their final trials earlier this year.
"It changes everything. We've been working on our delivery, not completely changing it but tweaking it," she said.
"It's a very different game plan playing over in the UK compared to what we play at home.
"The nicest way to put it is we play finesse over here but over there, because it's so slow and you've pretty well got to drive it up the other end, you've just got to get it up there and if you get it up there you're going good."
Van Eldik will skip the fours and play middle in the triples, replicating her positions from dual success on the Gold Coast.
Rebecca Van Asch also remains from 2018 while veteran Lynsey Clarke is now on board for both while debutant Kristina Krstic joins the fours combination.
"I still get goosebumps talking about it now," Van Eldik said.
"Gold Coast was one of the most phenomenal experiences of my life, even outside bowls.
"Obviously this is a new team so we can't exactly replicate what happened, but we've got five solid girls and we do have a chance to defend those titles which is exciting."
Van Eldik is a three-time Australian Open champion.
Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
