Petanque: Christine Strichen wins New Zealand's only medal at Oceania champs in Melbourne

Whanganui multiple international Christine Strichen won New Zealand's only medal at the 2019 Oceania Petanque Championships in Melbourne.

Whanganui's Christine Strichen has won New Zealand's only medal at the 2019 Oceania Petanque Championships in Melbourne.

Last week teams of four men and four women from New Zealand, Tahiti, New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna along with eight men and eight women from host country Australia did battle in singles, doubles and triples plus a pointing and shooting competition.

International player Strichen won bronze in the shooting competition.

After the first round to make the top eight Strichen qualified seventh. She then had to shoot off against the top player from Wallis and Futuna who she beat 26/23.

In the semifinal Strichen dropped her score to 16 against the top Tahitian player who went on to win the gold. Strichen then shot off against Australia for bronze, lifting her score to 23 to take the medal.

Strichen is a multiple New Zealand representative playing out of the Whanganui East Club petanque adjunct.