SINGAPORE – On the greens, Mawjit Singh and Khirmern Mohamad could not be more different.

Singh is often seen joking around with teammates, while Khirmern is the more serious one, always ready for training.

But the pair, who have been partners in the national para lawn bowling team for the last four years, embrace their contrasting characters, with Khirmern even considering Singh his “big brother”.

The 56-year-old told The Straits Times: “What I like most is that we can easily relate to each other and he knows what I expect from him.

“He’s like my big brother, but I’m the one constantly pushing him, especially when he doesn’t feel confident. And these are the things that, in the last few years, we manage to find a kind of balance.”

Singh, 62, said: “It takes many years to build the rhythm up, because I think (playing) pairs in this game is very sensitive.

“If you hurt the feelings of your partner and it gets to him, then he will not be able to produce his best. So for us, even if we have a negative throw, we encourage each other and try to build our momentum back up again.”

Both men lost their left leg to gangrene, albeit under different circumstances.

Singh was 20 when he met with an accident which eventually required him to have his leg amputated at the middle of his thigh, while Khirmern’s leg was amputated at the hip after contracting gangrene following a motorcycle accident.

The duo, who teamed up in 2022, achieved history just a year later.

On the Gold Coast in Australia, they became Singapore’s first para lawn bowlers to earn at podium spot at the World Bowls Championship by winning a bronze in the men’s para pairs event.

That had come after honing their skills by training with able-bodied bowlers from Bowls Singapore.

Singh said:...