Following an intensive year-long selection period, Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) in conjunction with Scottish Disability Sport today confirmed the names of the 7 Para-Sport Bowlers and Directors who will represent Team Scotland in the XX Commonwealth Games this summer.

Glasgow 2014 will see Scotland’s Para-Sport Lawn Bowlers compete in the Games for the first time since the 2002 Games in Manchester, where they won Gold.

The B6/B7/B8 Triples team of Billy Allan, Michael Simpson and Kevin Wallace have already tasted success on the greens at the Kelvingrove Lawn Bowls Centre, where they won the 2013 Eight Nations Commonwealth Invitational Championships. Kevin and Michael have also had success at the last Bowls for Disabled World Championships in 2011 where Kevin won Gold in the Singles and a Bronze in the Pairs with Michael.

B2/B3 Mixed Pair Robert Conway and Irene Edgar were also successful at the Eight Nations, beating England in the Bronze medal match. They too have great international pedigree, with Robert winning Gold at the 2013 International Blind Bowls Association World Championships and together they won Bronze in the Pairs event. Robert and Irene, who have a visual impairment, will be supported by two Directors Ron McArthur and David Thomas, who for the first time are classed as athletes and will be eligible to receive any medals won.

Bob Dick, Head Coach said: “All of our bowlers have worked very hard to be selected and are extremely worthy of the honour. We certainly have the capability of winning medals in both events, however we cannot be complacent, because there will be serious opposition from the world number one disabled bowling nation, South Africa, as well as Australia, who will be serious medal contenders. They are hungry for success, and with intensive training between now and the Games I am optimistic about the team’s chances.”

SELECTED PARA-SPORT LAWN BOWLERS

NAME EVENTS BORN/LIVES

Billy Allan B6/B7/B8 Open Triples Dunfermline/Cowdenbeath

Kevin Wallace B6/B7/B8 Open Triples Stirling/Clackmannan

Michael Simpson B6/B7/B8 Open Triples Kirkcaldy/Auchtermuchty

Robert Conway B2/B3 Mixed Pairs Glasgow/Glasgow

Irene Edgar B2/B3 Mixed Pairs Glasgow/Saltcoats

Ron McArthur B2/B3 Mixed Pairs Director Motherwell/Falkirk

David Thomas B2/B3 Mixed Pairs Director Old Windsor/Ardrossan

Photo credit: Jeff Holmes