Gary Kelly (bowls)

Last updated

Gary Kelly
Gary Kelly, Northern Irish lawn bowler at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.png
Kelly at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
Personal information
NationalityBritish (Northern Irish)
Born (1989-05-10) 10 May 1989 (age 35)
Ballymoney, Northern Ireland
Education Our Lady of Lourdes High School, Ballymoney
Sport
Sport bowls
ClubBallybrakes Community (indoors)
Ballymoney BC / Warilla (outdoors)
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking4 (August 2024) [1]
Medal record
Representing Ulster Banner.svg  Northern Ireland
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2010 Delhi singles
Representing Four Provinces Flag.svg Combined Ireland
World Bowls Championship
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2016 Christchurch pairs
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Gold Coast pairs
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2023 Gold Coast singles
World Cup Singles
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2019 Warilla singles
Atlantic Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2011 Paphospairs
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2015 Paphospairs
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2015 Paphossingles
British Isles Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2010pairs
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2018pairs
European Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2022 Ayrsingles
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2022 Ayrtriples

Gary Kelly (born 10 May 1989) is an Australian based Northern Irish international indoor and lawn bowler. [2]

Contents

Bowls career

Outdoors

He won a bronze medal in the Men's singles at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. [3] In 2011 he won the pairs silver medal at the Atlantic Bowls Championships [4] and in 2015 he won the pairs gold medal at the Atlantic Bowls Championships. [5]

He won a silver medal for a combined Irish team with bowls pairs partner Ian McClure in the pairs at the 2016 World Outdoor Bowls Championship. [6]

In 2018, he was selected as part of the Northern Ireland team for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Queensland [7] and in 2020 he was selected for the 2020 World Outdoor Bowls Championship in Australia but the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [8]

In addition to his international successes he also won the 2007 Irish National Bowls Championships singles. [9]

Kelly moved to Australia after the 2018 Commonwealth Games and won the delayed 2020 Australian triples title with Corey Wedlock and Brendan Aquilina at the Australian National Bowls Championships. [10] In 2022, he competed in the men's singles and the men's triples at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. [11] Later in 2022, he won his first title at the Australian Open [12] and also won the singles and triples at the European Bowls Championships. [13]

In 2023, he was selected as part of the team to represent Ireland at the 2023 World Outdoor Bowls Championship. [14] He participated in the men's singles and the men's pairs events. [15] [16] In the pairs with Adam McKeown, they topped their group before going on to win the gold medal, defeating Australia in the final. One week later, in the singles he went on to win the silver medal after losing the final to Ryan Bester. Later in October, Kelly won the Australian Nationals pairs title with Corey Wedlock. [17]

In 2024, Kelly won the Australian Open fours title with Peter Taylor, Ray Pearse and Carl Healey, it was Kelly's second Australian Open title. [18]

Indoors

His first major success indoors came in 2019 after he defeated Brendan Aquilina in the final of the World Cup Singles. [19]

He was part of the winning trio that won the inaugural Ultimate Bowls Championship in April 2019 winning $60,000 AUD in prize money.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Marshall (bowls)</span> Scottish bowls player (born 1967)

Alex "Tattie" Marshall is record-breaking Scottish bowls player.

Ryan George Peter Bester is a Canadian lawn bowler.

Aron Sherriff is an international Australian lawn and indoor bowler. He has won three world championship titles and was ranked world number 1 in June 2024.

Sam Tolchard is an English international lawn and indoor bowler.

Ian McClure is an indoor and lawn bowler.

Jamie Walker is an English international bowls player.

Louis Ridout is an English international indoor and outdoor bowls player.

Kelly McKerihen is a Canadian International lawn bowler.

Ali Forsyth is a New Zealand international lawn and indoor bowler.

Tony Grantham is a New Zealand international lawn and indoor bowler.

Aaron Wilson is an Australian international lawn bowler.

Hugh Martin McHugh is a Northern Irish international lawn bowler.

Andrew Kelly is a New Zealand international lawn and indoor bowler.

Ross Owen is a Welsh international lawn and indoor bowler.

Brendan Aquilina is a Maltese international lawn and indoor bowler.

Aaron Teys is an international Australian lawn and indoor bowler.

Corey Wedlock is an international Australian lawn and indoor bowler.

Malcolm De Sousa is an international lawn bowler from Jersey.

Adam McKeown is a Northern Irish international lawn and indoor bowler.

Carl Healey is an Australian international lawn bowler. He has represented Australia at the Commonwealth Games and won a silver medal.

References

  1. "Male rankings". World Bowls Series. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  2. "Gary Kelly". Henselite bowls.
  3. "Commonwealth Games: Bowler Gary Kelly claims bronze after late heartache". Belfast Telegraph. 14 October 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  4. "2011 Atlantic Championships". World Bowls Ltd. Archived from the original on 31 October 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  5. "2015 Atlantic Championships". World Bowls. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  6. "2016 World Bowls Championship Finals". Burnside Bowling Club.
  7. "Commonwealth Games 2018: Northern Ireland name 88-strong squad". BBC Sport. 3 January 2018.
  8. "Ireland Team for World Bowls 2020". Irish Bowling Association.
  9. "IBA Singles winners". Irish Bowls Association.
  10. "NEW SOUTH WALES DOMINATE TRIPLES AT AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS". Bowls Australia. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  11. "Official Games profile". 2022 Commonwealth Games. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  12. "2022 Australian Open: Day 13 wrap". Bowls Australia. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  13. "European Bowls Championships 2022T". Bowls Europe. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  14. "COMPETITORS CONFIRMED: WORLD BOWLS OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023". Bowls International. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  15. "Events and Results, World Championships 2023 Gold Coast, Australia". World Bowls. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  16. "SCHEDULE & DRAWS". Bowls Australia. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  17. "Day 12 recap". Bowls Australia. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  18. "Day 13 recap". Bowls Australia. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  19. "World Cup indoor singles – Day 9". Bowls International.