Bowls' future bright as younger generation take on the challenge

The stalwarts of the sport are still competing, and often battling for medals, but there's no doubt they are being challenged by an increasingly youthful set of rivals.

Aged 26, Northern Ireland's Shauna O’Neill is arguably the breakout star of Glasgow 2026.

A bronze medallist in the Women's Pairs, alongside 24-year-old Chloe Wilson, O'Neill won her first three Singles matches before being narrowly defeated by one of the favourites, Ali Merrien of Guernsey, in a thrilling match. 

"Growing up, I was a bit nervous to tell people that I played bowls because it wasn't a very common sport," O'Neill said. 

"But I'm surrounded by a lot of great people and I'm very grateful for everybody back home who backs me, even though they don't really have a clue what bowls is." 

Merrien, 51, is delighted to see the new generation line up, even if it makes her job a whole lot harder. 

"Shae Wilson (27) from the Norfolk Islands has done exceptionally well, and she's still got a long way to go as well. There are so many youngsters coming through now,” Merrien said ahead of her Singles semi-final on Saturday. 

"It is positive, but for somebody like me who's at the end of my career, it's tough when these youngsters are coming through. They all want a piece of you.

"Hopefully I'm giving them a good fight and giving them experience, and they're picking things up from that.”

The future is bright

The youngest player at Glasgow 2026 is 17-year-old Liam Hill (pictured), who has been representing Tonga in the Men’s Singles and Pairs competitions.

While his mother is the current New Zealand Singles champion and his uncle has also represented the Kiwis, it is his grandfather - also a New Zealand international - who inspires the teenager day-to-day. 

"I live at home with my granddad," Hill said. "It's non-stop every day, 'Draw the shot, drive'. I'm like, 'I've got it, Pops. I've got you'."

Hill’s first match was against New Zealand’s Shannon McIlroy, and the 39-year-old was impressed by what he saw.

"Liam, I love the kid," McIlroy said. "We class him as a Kiwi. He's on our domestic playing schedule in New Zealand, so everyone at home sees him as much New Zealand as he is Tongan.

"He is an amazing talent. His future is bright, he's one to watch in the future, that's for sure."

One to watch right now is Scotland’s Sophie McGrouther. The 23-year-old is making her Games debut but already has a World Bowls Indoor Championship title to her name, secured when she was just 21.

The home favourite is delighted Glasgow 2026 has shown the world her sport is evolving.

"It's absolutely changing," McGrouther said. "Although bowls has the stereotype of being for an older generation, and that's an important part of its history, we're now seeing so many young representatives from the strongest countries competing.

"Hopefully that's inspiring for young people watching who think they can't get into the sport, because you absolutely can and you can achieve anything."