The 52-year-old bowler produced the first 300 game at a Deaflympics, rolling the perfect game at Rome in 2001.

Since that feat the unicorn of tenpin bowling has alluded Hayward, but ahead of the 23^rd Summer Deaflympics at Samsun, Turkey, this month, the right-armer is hoping to recapture his best form on the lanes and again roll his way to perfection and the record books.

“I’d love to bowl another 300 game ... and gold? Yes please,” Hayward said, via his translator, which in his case is his sister Kathy.

Hayward is one of just two tenpin bowlers heading to Turkey to compete, with the Orange gun to roll in the singles, all events and masters events.

He’s hoping to win his first Deaflympics gold medal.

The Australian team, by comparison to other teams that compete at say the Olympics or Paralympics, is relatively small, with 20 athletes and staff flying out for the games, which start on July 18.

But it’s taken very seriously, with athletes drug tested, an opening and closing ceremony and a Dealympic flame that burns, much like the Olympic flame, throughout the competition.

The first Deaflympics was held at Paris in 1924.

It’s Hayward’s fourth Deaflympics having, obviously, competed at Italy in 2001 before also earning selection in the Australian teams to go to Melbourne (2005) and Sofia, Bulgaira (2013).

He also earned selection in the team to go to Taipei in 2009, but he withdrew from that squad.

Hayward said the best bowlers at the games would more than likely come from Korea.

Hayward thanked the work John, May, his sister Kathy and Orange City Council with helping him get to the 23^rd Deaflympics.