Banks plays down 'natural talent' despite historic world treble
Jason Banks thinks his history making triple World Indoor Bowls title success has come despite not having "as much natural talent as a lot of the other players".
But the modest Scot has revealed that games of "roon the stick" while growing up in his native Aberdeenshire helped hone his game after taking up the sport at the age of 10.
Eighteen years on, Banks defeated Englishman Robert Paxton, the 2020 champion, at Potters Resorts in Hopton-on-Sea on Sunday to add the singles title to the men's pairs and mixed pairs trophies he lifted a few days earlier.
He admits it has still not "sunk it at all" that he has become the first to win all three at the same championships.
"The reason I started it was because my family play bowls as well," Banks told BBC Scotland. "My parents and my grandparents, they were quite helpful when I was beginning my journey in bowls.
"I started off playing what in our area is called 'roon the stick'. It is like a short mat version of bowls, which was good for learning the basics of the game, learning the draw shot.
"In halls or something you can roll out a carpet. They put a stick in the middle so you can't actually play with speed at the bowls. You have to play with deadweight to draw round the stick."
Banks has since risen to seventh in the world, but the closest he has come to major singles success was in 2023, when he lost to England's Jamie Walker in the final.
This time, the design engineer plotted his way past five-time champion and current world number two Paul Foster then two-time champion Paul Dawes before a dominant performance against fifth seed Paxton in the final.
"It feels like it is just a dream," Banks said. "It doesn't feel like I am in reality to be honest.
"I don't think I really understand what I have done. When you think of all the great bowling players that have played in the past and I have done something that they haven't, it is just quite unbelievable."
Along with compatriot Michael Stepney, Banks had started the week by beating Paxton and Northern Irishman Jason Greenslade to take the men's doubles crown.
Then he and 21-year-old debutant Beth Riva edged out Foster and six-time women's champion Katherine Rednall to win the mixed during a week when Scotland's Julie Forrest secured the women's singles title for a third time.
"I just can't really believe it, because I don't think I have got as much natural talent as a lot of the other players have, but somehow I have managed to achieve this," a delighted Banks said of his unprecedented hat-trick.
"If I don't win anything else in bowls, at least I can always say I have done this."
Banks, a member of Garioch Indoor Bowling club in Inverurie, suggests "determination and just the mindset" have been key to his success but admits to difficulty at getting his head around his newfound celebrity status.
"Since I have got to a higher level, one of the harder things I have found to deal with is the amount of messages you get from people," he added. "I haven't replied to so many text messages and things - I will get round to them eventually."