Bendigo-born Barrie Lester chosen to receive Commonwealth Games Flag for Victoria 2026
Four-time medal winning Australian Commonwealth Games lawn bowler Barrie Lester will have the honour of receiving the Commonwealth Games Federation flag on behalf of the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games in tomorrow night’s Birmingham 2022 Closing Ceremony.
The Commonwealth Games Federation flag will be lowered and then passed from the President of the Commonwealth Games Federation Dame Louise Martin and on to Lester, who has equalled the total of most medals by an Australian bowler at a Commonwealth Games with Karen Murphy.
Bendigo-born Lester, a member of the silver medal winning triples team in Birmingham, will then hand the flag to Her Excellency the Honourable Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria as the journey begins for Australia.
Barrie, who turned 40 in January this year, was born at Bendigo Base Hospital in 1982 – fittingly the year of the Brisbane Commonwealth Games and across the road from what will be the Victoria Games bowls venue in 2026.
He grew up in Wedderburn, just outside of Bendigo before his family moved to Lakes Entrance, Gippsland.
Lester has represented Australia at three Commonwealth Games – Melbourne 2006, Gold Coast 2018, Birmingham 2022 and has won four Commonwealth Games medals – Bronze (2006), 2 x Silver (2018), Silver (2022).
Barrie works and trains on the Gold Coast and plays out of the Burleigh Heads Bowls Club, but remains a proud Victorian.
He supports Bowls Australia’s Disaster Relief Fund through the sale of his own wine label – Blest Wines and hopes to compete at Victoria 2026 – across the road from where he was born.
“I was pretty blown away when I found out, especially when Commonwealth Games CEO Craig Phillips spoke to me yesterday, I started getting goosebumps and I know what my family’s reaction will be back home when they find out and see me they’ll be so happy,” said Lester.
“I was interviewed on the radio the other day and they asked what it would mean to win a medal, the colour of the medal is cosmetic, it’s a symbol of the hard work and the people who got me there and to be able to do this in the Closing Ceremony is one of those extra special moments in your career.
“Being born in Bendigo Hospital across the road from where the bowls are being played in 2026.you could kick a couple of footies down the road and you’re there… and then Dad wanted to retire and we moved down to Lakes Entrance when I was 15, down to the seaside and I continued to play bowls and moved to Melbourne after that.
“I played right across regional Victoria and I know what the State is capable of in regional Victoria in 2026… very exciting times and I have a close relationship with the Commonwealth Games.
“I was born in the year of the Brisbane Games in 1982 and have played in three Games and I’ll set myself for a fourth in 2026.”
