WORLD BOWLS 2023 - PAIRS
The 14th edition of the World Bowls Championships will be held on the Gold Coast in Queensland from the 29th August to 10th September 2023. The Championships have been held every fours years since 1966, the women had their own separate event, they joined to make it one Championships in 2008. In future, this event will be held every two years with para and visually impaired categories a part of the Championships.
In the run up to the event, we take a look back at the 2016 champions and look ahead to those players competing in 2023.
The 2016 World Bowls Championships were held at Christchurch, New Zealand.
Men’s Pairs Gold Medal 2016: Aaron Wilson & Brett Wilkie (Australia)
Men’s Pairs Silver Medal 2016: Gary Kelly & Ian McClure (Ireland)
Men’s Pairs Bronze Medals 2016: Alex Marshall & Paul Foster (Scotland), Mike Kernaghan & Shannon McIlroy (New Zealand)
Aaron Wilson won the Australian Open Singles title in 2013, he then burst on to the World Bowls scene in 2016 picking up Gold in the Pairs and Silver in the Fours. Irish duo Kelly and McClure beat England’s Louis Ridout and Sam Tolchard 17-10 in the play-off game and then beat New Zealanders Mike Kernaghan Shannon McIlroy 17-10 in the semi-final.
Men’s Pairs Gold Medalist 2016 Aaron Wilson (Australia)
Men’s Pairs Players 2023:
Australia: Aaron Teys & Aaron Wilson
Argentina: Ricardo Rubinat & Raul Pollet
Botswana: Michael Gabobewe & Baven Balendra
Canda: John Bezear & Ryan Bester
Cook Islands: Aiden Zittersteijn & Taiki Paniani
England: Ed Morris & Sam Tolchard
Falkland Islands: Garry Tyrrell & Christopher Locke
Fiji: Lal Chand Prasad & Munesh Kumar
France: Dorian Dumont & Guillaume Hertzog
Hong Kong China: Tony Cheung & Lee Ka Ho
India: Sunil Bahadur & Putul Sonowal
Ireland: Adam McKeown & Gary Kelly
Israel: Danny Alonim & Dani Slodownik
Japan: Takashi Ohira & Tetsuya Hirouchi
Jersey: Derek Boswell & Malcolm De Sousa
Kenya: Benson Kariuki Wambugu & Cephas Kimwaki Kimani
Macao China: Wong Chi Hong & Cheong Pak Keong
Malaysia: Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple & Soufi Rusli
Malta: Peter Tonna & Wesley Hedges
Namibia: Christo Steenkamp & Schalk Van Wyk
Netherlands: Maus van Tol & Frank de Vries
New Zealand: Tony Grantham & Andrew Kelly
Niue: Keith Papani & Gregory Funaki
Norfolk Island: Trevor Gow & Matt Bigg
Papua New Guinea: Manu Walo & Velia Vele
Philippines: Elmer Abatayo & Rodel Labayo
Samoa: Avala Savaiinaea & Tasesa Tafeaga
Scotland: Jason Banks & Iain McLean
Singapore: Deepan SO Ramachandran & Anthony Loh Kee Sin
South Africa: Wayne Rittmuller & Niksa Benguric
Spain: Terry Morgan & John Pooley
Sweden: Olle Bäckgren & Pontus Palmkvist
Switzerland: Markus Merz & Beat Matti
Thailand: Uthen Ontong & Wattana Kadkhunthod
Türkiye: Serkan Akar & Ozkan Akar
United States of America: Bob Schneider & Charlie Herbert
Wales: Daniel Salmon & Jarrad Breen
Zimbabwe: Myles Hopper & Clive Robertson
Women’s Pairs Gold Medalists Laura Daniels and Jess Sims with family support at World Bowls 2016.
Women’s Pairs Gold Medal 2016: Laura Daniels & Jess Sims (Wales)
Women’s Pairs Silver Medal 2016: Angela Boyd & Jo Edwards (New Zealand)
Women’s Pairs Bronze Medals 2016: Lauren Baillie & Lesley Doig (Scotland), Sophie Tolchard & Ellen Falkner (England)
Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Women’s Pairs Gold medalists from Australia Kristina Krstic & Ellen Ryan will be competition favourites but they will have to face strong opponents to claim that World Bowls Gold. England’s Tolchard and Pharaoh team up again to try and go one step further than they did in the Birmingham Gold Medal match. Canadian youngster Jordan Kos teams up with two time World Bowls medalist Kelly McKerihen while 2019 Atlantic Championships Bronze medalists from Wales, Sara Nicholls and Ysie White look to medal at their first World Championships. Competition underdogs from France Olivia Four and Cindy Royet will be ones to watch.
Women’s Pairs Players 2023:
Australia: Kristina Krstic & Ellen Ryan
Argentina: Laucila Bausili & Ana Ramos
Botswana: Lesedi Millicent Mafoko & Lephai Marea Modutlwa
Canada: Jordan Kos & Kelly McKerihen
Cook Islands: Emily Jim & Tiare Jim
England: Sophie Tolchard & Amy Pharaoh
Fiji: Elizabeth Moceiwai & Losalini Diqoya
France: Olivia Four & Cindy Royet
Guernsey: Rosemary Ogier & Lucy Beere
Hong Kong China: Angel So & Helen Cheung
India: Lovely Choubey & Nayan Moni Saikia
Ireland: Ashleigh Rainey & Sarah Kelly
Japan: Sayuri Abiru & Keiko Kurohara
Jersey: Kim Hutchings & Rachel MacDonald
Kenya: Jedidiah Njeri Maina & Eunice Wambui Mbugua
Macao China: Chan Wai Kun & Tam Sim Fong
Malaysia: Aleena Nawawi & Ain Nabilah Tarmizi
Malta: Rebecca Rixon & Connie Rixon
Namibia: Bianca Lewis & Diana Viljoen
Netherlands: Elly Dolieslager & Ineke Spangenberg
New Zealand: Selina Goddard & Katelyn Inch
Niue: Catherine Papani & Pilena Motufoou
Norfolk Island: Carmen Anderson & Sha Wilson
Papua New Guinea: Klesha Walo & Piwen Karkar
Philippines: Marisa Baronda & Rosita Bradborn
Scotland: Emma McIntyre & Claire Anderson
Singapore: Sarah Ho Shu En & Philomena Goh Quee Kee
South Africa: Francesca Baleri & Colleen Piketh
Switzerland: Marianne Kunzle & Laura Butler
Thailand: Orawan Sodok & Palita Gangur
Türkiye: Berna Guzelocak & Busranur Uzun
United States of America: Janice Bell & Anne Nunes
Wales: Sara Nicholls & Ysie White
Zimbabwe: Caryn Sinclair & Heather Singleton