MID North Coast ten pin bowlers Darren Wallace and Jason Holley will test themselves on the world stage at Abu Dhabi next month.
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Wallace (from Port Macquarie) and Holley (from Forster) have been selected in the Australian Special Olympics team to compete at the 2019 World Games from March 8-21.
Special Olympics Committee Mid North Coast chairperson Dianne Davis said it was exciting as an organisation to have two members wear the green and gold for the first time ever.
"The Special Olympics has been going in Port Macquarie for more than a decade," Davis said.
"That's (attending) hundreds of regional events and national games occur every four years.
"We also have been to Trans-Tasman, Trans-Pacific and all those events; it's a long time in the making, we're proud of the two boys."
Selection in the Australian team was based on a strong performance at regional and then national level.
"They've got to get a gold or silver medal at the regionals and then they go into a draw," Davis said.
"Then they're picked for nationals and then they've got to get a gold medal at national events to go into the draw to be picked for Abu Dhabi or any world games event.
"These guys have worked really hard to get to where they are so kudos to them."
Davis said it had been a four-year process where many sacrifices had been made.
"It's two years before a national event and then you've got to be in the top 40 or 50 to go to nationals (originally)," she said.
"In Adelaide last year there were 2000 athletes that went from all sports so for these guys to be picked in the national team for Australia is great for them and for us."
These guys have worked really hard to get to where they are so kudos to them.
- Dianne Davis
Despite heading overseas for the first time, the duo's main concern wasn't to do with the 14-hour flight; they had more pressing concerns.
"They're worried about their phones and not having Facebook over there; they're not worried about the games, they're worried about other things," Davis said.
"But they're really excited about the travel because living in a regional area we do travel a lot.
"Darren hasn't done a lot of overseas travel so he's so excited. They're excited, stressed and it's all going to be different for them especially over there with different weather."
The team fly out on March 7 and return on March 23.
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