QUEENSLANDERS SHINE AT MULTI-NATIONS

March 25-31, Gold Coast

By Kelsey Cottrell

The Gold Coast Multi-Nations was geared up as a final chance for seven nations to come together and do battle on the very greens they will meet on again in August this year, when the sport’s pinnacle event, the World Bowls Championships, hits the Coast. With all the competing countries using the Gold Coast MultiNations as a selection tool, there was a lot riding on the results for players if they were to get the nod from their respective selection panels.

When there was a last-minute withdrawal by Malaysia, tournament officials were quick to ask Bowls Queensland if they would like the opportunity to field a 10-person side to take on the best players in the world. BQ jumped at the chance.

“Bowls Queensland felt it was a great opportunity for our up-and-coming players to have a strong hit out against players from various nations and a valuable experience for them all we just couldn’t pass up,” BQ CEO Brett Wilkie said. “The players we selected had all been performing well domestically and deserved the opportunity to represent Queensland, and we also felt this would provide valuable and memorable experience for them to advance their promising bowls’ futures.”

Tasked with the job of competing on the international stage was a wealth of young talent we have homegrown here in Queensland. Many of them already identified as future Australian Jackaroos as members of the National Emerging Squad or Pathways Squad.

The coveted singles positions were awarded to Kira Bourke (Tweed Heads) and Nick Cahill (Broadbeach), who both did a magnificent job.

Kira Bourke took down some big scalps in sectional play including Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ellen Ryan (Australia) and South African Colleen Piketh. Unfortunately, Ryan got her revenge in the semi-final but Bourke went on to win the bronze medal playoff against Norfolk Island’s Shae Wilson to cap off a great individual performance.

Nick Cahill went one step further, qualifying in top spot in the men’s section and defeating Commonwealth Games silver medallist Gary Kelly from Northern Ireland in the semi-final, setting up a juicy Australia versus Queensland encounter for gold.

Australian Jackaroo Aaron Teys was too good on this occasion, finding a way to beat our previously undefeated Queenslander in a match played in the greatest of sportsmanship, with a balcony full of Broadbeach locals cheering for their Bulls (both Teys and Cahill represent Broadbeach in the QLD Premier League).

Kane and Jacob Nelson (Belmont Services) are names we hear a lot of here in Queensland, and along with Chris Rosanes (Club Pine Rivers) and Cohen Litfin (Algester Sports), our men’s side was looking threatening in the competition.

Qualifying for a further three semi-finals, Queensland claimed another two silvers (pairs and triples), and a bronze medal (fours) to add to their impressive haul. A super effort for a non-international side.

The girls didn’t walk away with as much bling around their necks, but they certainly gained experience that will hold them in good stead the next time they wear our maroon colours. Isabella Lawson (Broadbeach), Amanda Haevecker (Club Helensvale), Jacinta Weier (Hamilton) and Pamela (Pam) Rowe (Hamilton) were gallant in defeat during the team events.

“It was an amazing experience, a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to feel what it would be like to represent Australia at an international event,” said current Queensland representative Pam Rowe. “We went in open-minded knowing we just needed to give it all we had and enjoy the event; we were happy to be competitive, but results didn’t always go the way we would have liked; we did have a draw with Australia Yellow in the triples, which I think showed us all we’re capable of matching it with the elite players,” she said.

“It was amazing to see our Queensland boys and Kira come away with medals, it was brilliant bowls. “The camaraderie and sportsmanship between the nations was great to see as well.”

The success of our Queensland Team shows us our sport in the Sunshine State is in great hands, but also demonstrates the amazing depth of talent the Australian selectors have to choose from when players outside of the Jackaroos Squad can be extremely competitive on the international stage.

A big congratulations to all 10 players and to our coaches/managers Alan Thorp, Christina Pavlov and Brad Harris who were behind the rinks for all their matches.

While the Queenslanders were busy claiming their titles, the Right at Home Jackaroos concluded the 2023 Multi-Nations by capturing a plethora of medals, including seven gold.

The blue-ribboned singles events were staged in the final session of the tournament, and Aaron Teys ensured that he would avenge his sectional defeat at the hands of Nick Cahill by storming to a 21-14 victory in the decider. Ellen Ryan‘s fine singles form continued in the women’s event, adding a Multi-Nations singles gold to her growing CV, besting fellow Australian Kelsey Cottrell 21-11 in the final.

It was an Australia vs Australia affair in the women’s fours final, with the Yellow team of Kylie Whitehead, Kristina Krstic, Lynsey Clarke and Natasha Van Eldik getting over the top of Green’s Jamie-Lee Worsnop, Bolivia Millerick, Chloe Stewart and Dawn Hayman in a last-bowl thriller of a final.

The morning session kickstarted the day in fine fashion for the Australians, as Jesse Noronha, Cody Packer, Carl Healey and Aron Sherriff overcame New Zealand’s Tony Grantham, Chris Le Lievre, Lance Pascoe and Ray Martin 20-11. Elsewhere, Australia Green’s Jamie Lee Worsnop and Dawn Hayman overcame Yellow’s Commonwealth Games winning pair in Kristina Krstic and Ellen Ryan 22-10 to don the bronze medal.

Women’s triples action saw another all Australian bronze playoff as Green’s Bolivia Millerick, Chloe Stewart and Kelsey Cottrell took down Yellow’s Kylie Whitehead, Lynsey Clarke and Natasha Van Eldik by eight shots for the final medal.

The second session saw more gold for the Jackaroos as Australian teams faced off once more in the men’s para pairs decider, with Green’s Tony Bonnell and Chris Flavel getting the better of Damien Delgado and James Reynolds 16-10.

The women’s para pairs saw Australia Green’s Commonwealth Games silver medallists in Cheryl Lindfield and Serena Bonnell secure the title with a 14-9 victory over New Zealand’s Julie O’Connell and Teri Blackbourn in the decider, while Louise Hoskins and Jo Hunter edged Hong Kong by a solitary shot to clinch bronze.

Men’s triples was next on the agenda as Australia Green’s Barrie Lester, Matt Lucas and Corey Wedlock edged Queensland’s Chris Rosanes, Jacob Nelson and Kane Nelson 18-16 in a closely fought encounter. Noronha, Healey and Sherriff would collect their second medal of the day, defeating South Africa 26-17 in the bronze medal playoff.

The vision impaired mixed pairs saw South Africa’s May Homer and Herman Scholtz defeat Australia Yellow’s Jaqueline Hudson and Jake Fehlberg 21-7 to take home the gold, while Green’s Helen Boardman and Fred McConnell claimed bronze with a 20-13 victory against Hong Kong’s Man Ka Chan and Iron Long Tsz Tang.

QUEENSLAND PLACINGS AT MULTI-NATIONS

Women Place

SINGLES Kira Bourke Bronze medal

PAIRS Isabella Lawson Amanda Haevecker 5th

TRIPLES Kira Bourke Jacinta Weier Pamela Rowe 7th

FOURS Isabella Lawson Jacinta Weier Amanda Haevecker Pamela Rowe 5th

Men

SINGLES Nick Cahill Silver medal

PAIRS Nick Cahill Cohen Litfin Silver medal

TRIPLES Chris Rosanes Jacob Nelson Kane Nelson Silver medal

FOURS Chris Rosanes Jacob Nelson Kane Nelson Cohen Litfin Bronze medal

Australian Medal Tally

Men’s Singles:

Gold: Aaron Teys (Australia Yellow)

Silver: Nick Cahill (Queensland)

Women’s Singles:

Gold: Ellen Ryan (Australia Yellow)

Silver: Kelsey Cottrell (Australia Green)

Bronze: Kira Bourke (Queensland)

Men’s Pairs:

Silver: Nick Cahill & Cohen Litfin (Queensland)

Women’s Pairs:

Bronze: Jamie Lee Worsnop & Dawn Hayman (Australia Green)

Men’s Triples:

Gold: Barrie Lester, Matt Lucas & Corey Wedlock (Australia Green)

Silver: Chris Rosanes, Jacob Nelson & Kane Nelson (Queensland)

Bronze: Jesse Noronha, Carl Healey & Aron Sherriff (Australia Yellow)

Women’s Triples:

Bronze: Bolivia Millerick, Chloe Stewart & Kelsey Cottrell (Australia Green)

Men’s Fours:

Gold: Jesse Noronha, Cody Packer, Carl Healey & Aron Sherriff (Australia Yellow)

Bronze: Chris Rosanes, Jacob Nelson, Kane Nelson & Cohen Litfin (Queensland)

Women’s Fours:

Gold: Kylie Whitehead, Kristina Krstic, Lynsey Clarke & Natasha Van Eldik (Australia Yellow)

Silver: Jamie-Lee Worsnop, Bolivia Millerick, Chloe Stewart & Dawn Hayman (Australia Green)

Para Men’s Pairs

Gold: Tony Bonnell & Chris Flavel (Australia Green)

Silver: Damien Delgado & James Reynolds (Australia Yellow)

Para Women’s Pairs:

Gold: Cheryl Lindfield & Serena Bonnell (Australia Green)

Bronze: Louise Hoskins & Jo Hunter (Australia Yellow)

Vision Impaired Mixed Pairs:

Silver: Jaqueline Hudson & Jake Fehlberg (Australia Yellow)

Bronze: Helen Boardman & Fred McConnell (Australia Green)

Final medal tally

Australia Yellow 4 Gold; 2 Silver; 2 Bronze

Australia Green 3 Gold; 2 Silver; 3 Bronze

Queensland 3 Silver; 2 Bronze