RICHARD Sampson's incredible dedication has been richly rewarded.
The young Isis bowls star has clinched a finals place at the national indoor championships in no fewer than THREE events - the singles, pairs, and triples.
It means resurgent Oxfordshire will field three competitors in the singles at Melton Mowbray - Oxon qualifier and BUPA Care Homes winner Les Gillett, from Banbury, Greg Moon, the England outdoor international who plays indoors at Avon Valley, Gaydon, in the Warwickshire area, and Sampson the Cumbria qualifier.
Sampson, 22, has been making almost weekly 500-mile round trips to his former Cumberland home in pursuit of his ambitions.
Now living in Witney, he will probably be setting out his stall for next year from Oxon - although a possible link-up with reigning English champion Robert Newman at Whiteknights in Reading has been discussed.
Sampson saw off high-profile John Bell in the Cumbria qualifier and, with partner and England star Stuart Airey, turned the knife on Bell again when beating him in the area pairs final.
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