Opportunities aplenty for World Champs selection
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought forth an opportunity for a plethora of bowlers throughout the nation to vie for selection for the 2023 World Bowls Championships.
The BCiB Australian Jackaroos squad’s ten-strong team had been selected for the 2020 World Championships, scheduled to be staged on the Gold Coast, before twice being postponed and ultimately cancellation earlier this year.
However, due to the significant period of time between the selection of the team for the 2020 event and when the players will ultimately step out on the greens, entrusted with the nation’s hopes at the sport’s pinnacle event, sometime in 2023, the National Selection Panel has deemed it time to reopen selections.
The members chosen for 2020 were notified of the decision to re-select the team composition earlier this week, with all players back in the frame for re-selection in 2023, including players that missed out, whom now have a chance to stake their claim for a spot in bowls’ showpiece event.
The selection panel of National Coach Gary Willis, Assistant Coach Karen Murphy, Therese Hastings and Dave Stockham will be actively monitoring all domestic results, adding added impetus to the upcoming Australian Open for those competing.
It makes club, state and national level performances all the more important, as well as any international tests or trials set to take place over the coming months.
Willis said he was excited about the prospect of beginning the selection process, citing the opportunity for all aspiring national representatives.
“We certainly feel for the team that had been previously selected for 2020, however we need to move forward towards the potential of a 2023 World Championships, possibly on home soil, which will have every aspiring Australian representative putting their hands up.” Willis said.
“We’re so excited to see what our players can do over the coming months, with all results taken into account.
“The Australian Open results are just one of many events that selectors will be closely monitoring, and they are very mindful and aware that our Victorian competitors have been adversely affected by the recent lockdown – we wish them all well and we have them very much in our thoughts as always.”
No location or dates have been confirmed for the staging of the 2023 World Bowls Championships at the present.