Jackaroos return home
The Jackaroos return with an impressive haul of medals, after taking home seven medals from eight events. (Pictured left: (From left to right) – top row: Aaron Wilson, Aron Sherriff, Mark Casey, Barrie Lester, Brett Wilkie; bottom row: Karen Murphy, Rebecca Van Asch, Carla Krizanic, Natasha Scott, Kelsey Cottrell)
BQ’s CEO Brett Wilkie has returned home with a gold and silver medal after Australia’s most successful campaign abroad at a World Bowls Championships (Nov 29 – Dec 11), after the Jackaroos left Christchurch with four gold, two silver and one bronze medal from eight disciplines.
The Jackaroos added to their historic haul with a gold medal in the women’s triples and silver in the men’s fours on Saturday to finish narrowly behind the all-time record they set four years ago, which consisted of five gold and two silver.
The Women’s Triples team of Carla Krizanic, Natasha Scott and Rebecca Van Asch commenced the penultimate day of the event in scintillating form, earning their second world title at this event with a 17-6 defeat of Wales.
All three players were part of the successful Women’s Fours contingent which claimed gold last weekend during the initial four disciplines, and as such, all return home as dual world champions; amazingly, 26-year-old Scott and 28-year-old Van Asch have now become three-time World Champions having also won gold in the Women’s Triples and Women’s Pairs respectively at the 2012 World Championships.
However, it wasn’t a fairytale finish for the Men’s Fours, who were attempting to send Jackaroos veteran Mark Casey off to international retirement as a world champion.
Barrie Lester, Brett Wilkie, Aaron Wilson and Casey met their match in the New Zealand Blackjacks, who were dominant from the opening end with the host-nation, who were skipped by Victorian-based Ali Forsyth, eventually recording a 23-4 victory to secure its first gold medal of the tournament.
Unfortunately for Lester and Casey, the result meant their second silver medal of the tournament.
Seven of the Australian Jackaroos return home as world champions, with Krizanic, Scott and Van Asch dual winners in the Women’s Triples and Women’s Fours, which also featured Kelsey Cottrell, while Karen Murphy prevailed in the Women’s Singles, and Brett Wilkie and Aaron Wilson triumphed in the Men’s Pairs.
Following the fantastic performance of the Women’s team, Australia also claimed the Taylor Trophy for the best performed nation across all female disciplines, while the Men’s team was narrowly edged out by New Zealand, who claimed the prestigious Leonard Trophy at the last minute courtesy of Shannon McIlroy’s singles victory over Canadian Ryan Bester in the Men’s Singles final.
To see the full results and scores, visit the Burnside Bowls Club website available here.