It took two decades, a brief retirement, and one final piece of "unfinished business", but Canberra-based lawn bowler James "Jimmy" Reynolds has officially conquered every major international para title on offer.
Capping off his incredible career comeback, the Pambula star secured the final piece of his historic sweep with a gold-medal performance at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Representing the Far South Coast and Tweed Heads respectively, Reynolds and teammate Damien Delgado commanded the green in an 8-1, 7-2 win over New Zealand's Kurt Smith and Mark Noble.
"It's a cliché dream come true, but for me, it's a lot of years of work," Reynolds told ACM.
"When I came out of retirement, I hadn't won that big major international event. I had won a couple of world titles back in '02, but it was different back then.
"I now hold every international para title on offer, so that's pretty cool. That's the ultimate dream come true. That's the pinnacle. This was the unfinished business, as you could call it."
It was 24 years between medals for Reynolds, who won men's triples bronze on his Commonwealth Games debut at Manchester 2002 and also competed at Glasgow 2014.
The Australian Para Bowls teammates first crossed paths nearly a decade ago, on the heels of a loss for Delgado.
But where others saw a defeat, Reynolds recognised a future champion, spotting Delgado's potential right away.
"I said, 'I reckon you've got something, you could do something [in bowls]," Reynolds recalled.
"Who was to know that we were going to be world champions and Commonwealth Games champions a few years later. That's pretty cool."
Reynolds was born with severe scoliosis and multiple physical disabilities, enduring two to three surgeries annually between ages five and 10 before doctors performed a full spinal fusion.
"When I was young, I wasn't allowed to play sport as I was in and out of hospital all through primary school. In year 6 I was finally allowed to play sports, so I picked everything on offer," Reynolds said.
Long before he was standing on podiums draped in gold, Reynolds was just a kid being forced into a sport he didn't even want to play.
"One of the rugby coaches was also a schoolteacher pushed me into trying bowls, and I wasn't happy, but it was a life-changing decision because this sport has given me everything in life."
Although the 11-year-old Reynolds was reluctant when his teacher, Paddy "Mr Macca" McAlpin, nudged him into trying lawn bowls, it was this unexpected push that ultimately altered the entire course of his life.
Having built a career from an unexpected childhood nudge, champion bowler Jimmy Reynolds was now on a mission to inspire the next generation of para-athletes to chase the impossible.
"I've always been that person to shine a light on para bowls and what you can do regardless. You can do amazing things if you want to," Reynolds said.
"I hope to hear more about groups offering greater access to different opportunities in para-sport, so those living with disabilities are given the chance to try new things - and then, like myself, potentially take it further."
