Commonwealth Games medal-winners return for Atlantic Championships
Scotland’s most successful bowlers return to the national squad for the first time since the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games to represent their country at the 2019 Atlantic Championships, with two new players making their debut.
Team Scotland Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Alex Marshall MBE is joined by pairs partner Paul Foster MBE, and fellow Commonwealth Games gold medal-winners Derek Oliver, Ronnie Duncan and Darren Burnett in the men’s squad.
In the women’s squad, recent SWiS Sportswoman of the Year nominee Caroline Brown joins Stacey McDougall and Claire Johnston and newcomers Megan Grantham and Hannah Smith.
Brown, McDougall and Johnston were part of the Team Scotland squad that brought home silver and bronze from the Commonwealth Games but Lesley Doig (bronze in the pairs with Johnston) and Kay Moran (silver in the triples with Brown and McDougall) are unavailable for selection for the Atlantic Championships.
Grantham and Smith are two players who have competed well during the outdoor season, representing Scotland at the BIWBC Junior and Senior Internationals respectively.
Grantham is a product of the Bowls Scotland Academy structure, whilst Smith impressed as a lead at this year’s BIWBC Internationals.
“The Atlantic Championships are a major part of our programme as it is the qualifier for the World Championships held in Australia 2020,” says head coach David Gourlay MBE. “I’m delighted at the quality of players who have made themselves available for this critical competition. The selected team is a mixture of experienced and emerging players and we are sure that they will deliver the performances that are required as we embark on the journey to Birmingham 2022.”
The Atlantic Championships take place from 10th to 23rd May 2019 in Wales at Barry Athletic BC, Dinas Powys BC, Pernath Windsor BC, Sophia Gardens BC and Penylan BC, which will be the headquarters for the tournament.
Men
Alex Marshall MBE
Paul Foster MBE
Derek Oliver
Ronnie Duncan
Darren Burnett
Women
Claire Johnston
Caroline Brown
Stacey McDougall
Megan Grantham
Hannah Smith