History on the line for Jackaroos in Birmingham
The Commonwealth Games is the sport of bowls’ blue-ribbon event, and the only multi-sport competition that bowlers can aspire to participate in.
The men and women chosen to don the green and gold regalia at this year’s Games have already achieved a feat worthy of recognition, but there is still more on the line, with a slice of history up for grabs for some of Australia’s hopefuls.
Some of the accolades that the Jackaroos will be striving for at Birmingham 2022 include:
The first Australian to defend the men’s singles crown
Aaron Wilson claimed gold in the men’s singles at Gold Coast 2018, defeating Canadian Ryan Bester in the final, and will be out to replicate his feat in the UK.
The 30-year-old is looking to become just the second player in bowls history to defend the singles crown, and the first Australian to do so.
Kelvin Kerkow (Melbourne 2006) and Robert Parella (Auckland 1990) are the only other Australians to have saluted in the discipline, with Kerkow retiring before Dehli 2010 and Parella receiving a bronze medal at Victoria 1994 in his title defence.
Should the man affectionately known as ‘Disco’ salute at Royal Leamington Spa, he will join English great David Bryant as the only person to go back-to-back.
Bryant claimed a staggering four consecutive men’s singles gold medals from Perth 1962 to Edmonton 1978.
The most successful Australian bowler
Natasha Van Eldik and Rebecca Van Asch won two golds at Gold Coast 2018 in both triples and fours, making them the equal most successful Australian bowlers at the Commonwealth Games, along with their teammate in both disciplines Carla Krizanic.
The pair will have the chance to move clear of Krizanic if they salute in either of the events they are defending.
Furthermore, should the duo win two medals, they will equal National Assistant Coach and Melbourne 2006 gold medallist Karen Murphy, and former Jackaroo Nathan Rice, with four Commonwealth Games medallions of any colour variety, the most won by any Australian bowler.
Lynsey Clarke also has a chance to gain her fourth medal at the Games, while a pair for Barrie Lester will see him earn a staggering fifth at the Commonwealth Games, which would place him in outright first on the most medals won.
Fourth Games appearance
With their fourth appearance at a Commonwealth Games, Lynsey Clarke and Natasha Van Eldik enter elite territory, as only the third and fourth Jackaroos to reach the milestone.
Only Karen Murphy (five) has played more, while Victoria 1994 men’s pairs gold medallist Rex Johnston has also participated in four.
Clarke first played in Melbourne 2006, where she claimed gold with Murphy in the women’s pairs, before a silver in the triples at Glasgow 2014.
Van Eldik will look to add to her pair of Commonwealth titles from Gold Coast 2018 when she takes to the Royal Leamington Spa greens.
First blue-ribbon women’s singles winner
Australia has never claimed the blue-ribbon women’s singles titles at any Commonwealth Games, with Games debutant Ellen Ryan entrusted with the nation’s hopes in Birmingham.
The women’s singles is the only able-bodied discipline that has not yet been won by the Australian Jackaroos.
Elusive gold on British soil
Australia will be looking to claim an elusive gold medal on European soil at Birmingham 2022.
There has been four silver and two bronze medals won across the competitions, but that elusive first gold would be a momentous day in Australian bowls history.
