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.

The men’s fours Bronze medalists consisted of British Isles teams Scotland and Ireland, while the Gold medal match was fought for by Southern Hemisphere giants Australia and New Zealand. In the final, New Zealand ran away with the win finishing with a 23-4 win on home soil against Australia.

Men’s Fours Gold Medal 2016: Blake Signal, Mike Kernaghan, Mike Nagy & Ali Forsyth (New Zealand)

Men’s Fours Silver Medal 2016: Aaron Wilson, Barrie Lester, Mark Casey & Brett Wilkie (Australia)

Men’s Fours Bronze Medals 2016: Simon Martin, Neil Mullholland, Ian McClure & Martin McHugh (Ireland) & Ronnie Duncan, Ian McLean, Paul Foster & Alex Marshall (Scotland).

Watch the Men’s Fours 2016 Final here

It has been seven years since the last World Bowls Championships event, with many players calling time on their bowling career since then. However, some names are still on the hunt for that Men’s Fours Gold. Ireland’s Martin McHugh recently skipped his rink to a Gold Medal at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and will be looking to improve on his 2016 Bronze medal in the event. Ireland last won Gold at World Bowls in the men’s fours in 2004 (Jim Baker, Neil Booth, Noel Graham, Jonathan Ross), Neil Booth remains part of the Irish set up as he attends the 2023 event on the management team. Scotland last won this discipline in 1992 with their 2023 skip Alex Marshall a part of the Gold Medal quartet: Angus Blair, Willie Wood, Alex Marshall, Graham Robertson. Marshall is joined this time around by current World Indoor Singles Champion Jason Banks, Commonwealth Games 2018 Fours Gold Medalist Derek Oliver and multi Commonwealth Games medalist Paul Foster.

Men’s Fours Competitors 2023:

Australia: Corey Wedlock, Aaron Teys, Carl Healey & Aron Sherriff.

Argentina: Daniel Saint Genez, Javier Llauro, Jorge Barreto & Raul Pollet.

Botswana: Michael Gabobewe, Diane Nixon Senna, Andre Van De Walt & Binesh Desai.

Canada: Owen Kirby, Rob Law, John Bezear & Cameron Lefresne.

Cook Islands: Aiden Zittersteijn, Adoni Wichman Rairoa, Taiki Paniani & Teora Turua.

England: Louis Ridout, Ed Morris, Nick Brett & Jamie Walker.

Fiji: Lal Chand Prasad, Munesh Kumar, Semesa Naiseruvati & Semesa Naiseruvati.

Hong Kong China: Imen Tang, Stephen Sy, James Po & Lee Ka Ho.

Ireland: Stuart Bennett, Adam McKeown, Ian McClure & Martin McHugh.

Israel: Danny Alonim, Selwyn Hare, Dani Slodownik & Allan Saitowitz.

Japan: Takashi Ohira, Tetsuya Hirouchi, Hisaharu Sato & Kenichi Emura.

Jersey: Derek Boswell, Taylor Greechan, Kevin Le Long & Greg Davis.

Kenya: Kjellan Awour, Anwar Mbarak Hamanda, Benson Kariuki Wambugu & Joseph Kitosi Muta.

Macao China: Chan Kim Meng, Leong Sio Kei, Wong Chi Hong & Cheong Pak Keong.

Malaysia: Haiqal Azami, Idham Amin Ramlan, Hizlee Abdul Rais & Soufi Rousli.

Malta: Peter Ellul, Wesley Hedges, Jason Borg & Troy Lorimer.

Namibia: Christo Steenkamp, Andre Campbell, Colin Peake & Johan Jacobs.

New Zealand: Tony Grantham, Chris Le Lievre, Lance Pascoe & Sheldon Bagrie-Howley.

Niue: Tifaga Tuipuiliu Lologa, Tukala Tagelagi, Keith Papani & Gregory Funaki.

Norfolk Island: Tony Scicluna, Matt Bigg, Teddy Evans & Ryan Dixon.

Papua New Guinea: Manu Walo, Kenneth Ikirima, Velia Vele & Fred Koisen.

Philippines: Elmer Abatayo, Hommer Mercado, Leoncio Carreon Jr & Ronald Lising.

Samoa: Tasesa Tafeaga, Edward Pio Bell, Lafaele Lotomau & Asuao Manu Faauma.

Scotland: Jason Banks, Derek Oliver, Paul Foster MBE & Alex Marshall MBE.

Singapore: Harriman Yuen, Deepan SO Ramachandran, Thomas Leong Khim Hoong & Matthew Ngui Ming Fook.

South Africa: Bradley Robinson, Victor Siphali, Niksa Benguric & Jason Evans.

Switzerland: Christian Haldimann, Thomas Schneiter, Thomas Walti & Beat Matti.

Thailand: Patawee Montien, Naret Aiangetuen, Wattana Kadkhunthod & Thanakrit Thammasarn.

Türkiye: Baris Islam Bolat, Zafer Yaman, Vuslat Arac & Serkan Akar.

United States of America: Bob Schneider, Bill Brault, Loren Dion & Aaron Zangl.

Wales: Owain Dando, Chris Klefenz, Ross Owen & Jarrad Breen.

Zimbabwe: Grant Clift, Bryan Ray, Myles Hopper & Clive Robertson.

Watch the Women’s Fours Final 2016 here

The Australian women took away the team trophy at the 2016 World Bowls Championships following a gold-rush win in three out of four disciplines, the women’s fours being one of them. The quartet of Cottrell, Krizanic, Van Asch and Scott convincingly won their Gold medal match 23-8.

Women’s Fours Gold Medal 2016: Kelsey Cottrell, Carla Krizanic, Rebecca Van Asch, Natasha Scott (Australia)

Women’s Fours Silver Medal 2016: Jamie-Lea Winch, Rebecca Wigfield, Wendy King, Ellen Falkner (England)

Women’s Fours Bronze Medals 2016: Katelyn Inch, Angela Boyd, Kirsten Edwards, Val Smith (New Zealand) & Hazel Jagonoy, Ronalyn Greenlees, Sonia Bruce, Rosita Bradborn (Philippines)

England’s Jamie-Lea Winch (now Marshall) will return to the World Bowls stage looking to go one better this time around in the fours having lost in the final in 2016. Australian Gold medalist in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games pairs Kristina Krstic joins Kelsey Cottrell as she looks to retain her World Bowls Gold medal. The Norfolk Island quartet will be skipped by lawn bowls great Carmen Anderson while Welsh skip Laura Daniels looks to gain her second World Bowls Gold having won the pairs in 2016. The Irish four will be ones to watch as youngsters Shauna O’Neill and Chloe Wilson currently live out in Australia they will have gained some vital experience in the run up to the competition. At World Bowls 2012 Caroline Brown picked up the Gold in this discipline along with Margaret Letham, Lynn Stein & Michelle Cooper, she will be looking to regain that title. South Africa are always ones to watch with skip Anneke Snyman bursting on to the international scene in recent years picking up Atlantic and Commonwealth medals in the fours.

Women’s Fours Competitors 2023:

Australia: Kristina Krstic, Dawn Hayman, Lynsey Clarke & Kelsey Cottrell.

Argentina: Virginia Bianco, Anabel Didlaukis, Ana Ramos & Gabriela Villamarin.

Botswana: Lesedi Millicent Mafoko, Molatedi Douma, Gasegarona Pabalelo & Gaoromelwe Mpopi Pelemo.

Canada: Joanna Cooper, Baylee van Steijn, Emma Boyd & Jordan Kos.

Cook Islands: Philomina Akaruru, Emily Jim, Rima Strickland & Tiare Jim.

England: Sophie Tolchard, Jamie-Lea Marshall, Lorraine Kuhler & Amy Pharaoh.

Fiji: Radhika Prasad, Elizabeth Moceiwai, Sheryl Edward & Litia Tikoisuva.

Hong Kong China: Cheryl Chan, Phyllis Wong, Angel So & Helen Cheung.

Ireland: Ashleigh Rainey, Sarah Kelly, Shauna O’Neill & Chloe Wilson.

Japan: Masako Sato, Sayuri Abiru, Midori Matsuoka & Hiroko Emura.

Jersey: Kim Hutchings, Sara Douglas, Rachel MacDonald & Fiona Archibald.

Kenya: Crestine Mwikali Masila, Fridah Wangari Mwangi, Jedidiah Njeri Maina & Esther Wanjiru Ndungu.

Malaysia: Aleena Nawawi, Ain Nabilah Tarmizi, Syafiqa Haidar Rahman & Azlina Arshad.

Malta: Rita Hedges, Rose Rixon, Rebecca Rixon & Connie Rixon.

New Zealand: Leeane Poulson, Selina Goddard, Val Smith & Katelyn Inch.

Niue: Lynsey Talagi, Christine Hipa, Catherine Papani & Pilena Motufoou.

Norfolk Island: Ellie Dixon, Carla Miles, Petal Jones & Carmen Anderson.

Papua New Guinea: Klesha Walo, Diane Siminali, Piwen Karkar & Olive Roika.

Philippines: Asuncion Bruce, Hazel Jagonoy, Vilma Greenlees & Rosita Bradborn.

Scotland: Carla Banks, Claire Anderson, Stacey McDougall & Caroline Brown.

Singapore: Sarah Ho Shu En, Leng Li Li, Cheo Ai Lin & May Lee Beng Hua.

South Africa: Thabelo Muvhango, Francesca Baleri, Esme Kruger & Anneke Snyman.

Switzerland: Andrea Locher, Caroline Lehmann, Simone Kunz & Marianne Kunzle.

Thailand: Chamaipron Kotchawong, Tanida Kachanthornpak, Palita Gangur & Nannapat Tomak.

Türkiye: Merve Deniz, Busranur Uzun, Serap Usta & Sebiha Usta.

United States of America: Mary Spease, Janice Bell, Joan Robbins & Mary Ann Beath.

Wales: Sara Nicholls, Bethan Russ, Ysie White & Laura Daniels.

Zimbabwe: Caryn Sinclair, Caroline McDonnell, Melanie James & Heather Singleton.

All photographs property of Sporting Highlights / Alis Butten