Gary Kelly (bowls)

Gary Kelly
Kelly at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
Personal information
NationalityIrish
Born (1989-05-10) 10 May 1989
Ballymoney, Northern Ireland
EducationOur Lady of Lourdes High School, Ballymoney
Sport
Sportbowls
ClubBallybrakes Community (indoors)
Ballymoney BC / Warilla (outdoors)
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking
4 (August 2024)[1]
Medal record
Representing  Northern Ireland
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place2010 Delhisingles
Silver medal – second place2022 Birminghamsingles
Gold medal – first place2026 Glasgowpairs
Bronze medal – third place2026 Glasgowsingles
Representing Combined Ireland
World Bowls Championship
Silver medal – second place2016 Christchurchpairs
Gold medal – first place2023 Gold Coastpairs
Silver medal – second place2023 Gold Coastsingles
Silver medal – second place2023 Gold Coastteam
World Cup Singles
Gold medal – first place2019 Warillasingles
Atlantic Championships
Silver medal – second place2011 Paphospairs
Gold medal – first place2015 Paphospairs
Bronze medal – third place2015 Paphossingles
British Isles Championships
Gold medal – first place2010pairs
Gold medal – first place2018pairs
European Championships
Gold medal – first place2022 Ayrsingles
Gold medal – first place2022 Ayrtriples

Gary Kelly (born 10 May 1989) is an Australian-based Irish international indoor and lawn bowler.[2] He reached a career high ranking of world number 4 in August 2024.[3]

Bowls career

Outdoors

He won a bronze medal in the Men's singles at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.[4] In 2011 he won the pairs silver medal at the Atlantic Bowls Championships[5] and in 2015 he won the pairs gold medal at the Atlantic Bowls Championships.[6]

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.[7]

In 2018, he was selected as part of the Northern Ireland team for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Queensland[8] 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.[9]

In addition to his international successes he also won the 2007 Irish National Bowls Championships singles.[10]

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.[11] In 2022, he competed in the men's singles (winning a silver medal) and the men's triples at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.[12] Later in 2022, he won his first title at the Australian Open[13] and also won the singles and triples at the European Bowls Championships.[14]

In 2023, he was selected as part of the team to represent Ireland at the 2023 World Outdoor Bowls Championship.[15] He participated in the men's singles and the men's pairs events.[16][17] 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.[18]

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.[19] A third followed in 2025, when winning the pairs with Corey Wedlock.[20]

Indoors

His first major success indoors came in 2019 after he defeated Brendan Aquilina in the final of the World Cup Singles.[21]

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

Kelly won the bronze medal in the men's singles at the 2026 Commonwealth Games which was played indoors in Glasgow.[22][23] A few days later he combined with Adam McKeown to win the gold medal in the men's pairs, defeating England's Nick Brett and Jamie Walker on a tiebreak end in the final.[24][25]

References

  1. ↑ "Male rankings". World Bowls Series. Archived from the original on 28 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "Gary Kelly". Henselite bowls. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  3. ↑ "Male rankings". World Bowls Series. Archived from the original on 28 June 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
  4. ↑ "Commonwealth Games: Bowler Gary Kelly claims bronze after late heartache". Belfast Telegraph. 14 October 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  5. ↑ "2011 Atlantic Championships". World Bowls Ltd. Archived from the original on 31 October 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  6. ↑ "2015 Atlantic Championships". World Bowls. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  7. ↑ "2016 World Bowls Championship Finals". Burnside Bowling Club. Archived from the original on 16 October 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  8. ↑ "Commonwealth Games 2018: Northern Ireland name 88-strong squad". BBC Sport. 3 January 2018. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  9. ↑ "Ireland Team for World Bowls 2020". Irish Bowling Association.
  10. ↑ "IBA Singles winners". Irish Bowls Association. Archived from the original on 20 March 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  11. ↑ "NEW SOUTH WALES DOMINATE TRIPLES AT AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS". Bowls Australia. 24 May 2021. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  12. ↑ "Official Games profile". 2022 Commonwealth Games. Archived from the original on 30 June 2025. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "2022 Australian Open: Day 13 wrap". Bowls Australia. 23 June 2022. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  14. ↑ "European Bowls Championships 2022T". Bowls Europe. 28 June 2022. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  15. ↑ "COMPETITORS CONFIRMED: WORLD BOWLS OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023". Bowls International. 5 June 2023. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  16. ↑ "Events and Results, World Championships 2023 Gold Coast, Australia". World Bowls. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  17. ↑ "SCHEDULE & DRAWS". Bowls Australia. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  18. ↑ "Day 12 recap". Bowls Australia. Archived from the original on 28 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  19. ↑ "Day 13 recap". Bowls Australia. Archived from the original on 28 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  20. ↑ "Day 13 wrap". Bowls Australia. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  21. ↑ "World Cup indoor singles – Day 9". Bowls International. Archived from the original on 28 June 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  22. ↑ "'Keep the belief' - Kelly wins Commonwealth bronze". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "Team NI bronze medal joy 'means everything' after quickfire Commonwealth Games boost thanks to Shauna O'Neill, Chloe Wilson and Gary Kelly". Belfast Newsletter. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  24. ↑ "McKeown and Kelly win men's pairs gold after tiebreak". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
  25. ↑ "Bowls pair deliver Northern Ireland's third Commonwealth Games gold with dramatic tie-break victory over England". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
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