Honnor insists 2023 Worlds withdrawal does not derail Commonwealth ambitions

By Tom Masters

Sian Honnor insists her difficult decision to withdraw from this year’s World Championships will not derail her Australian Commonwealth dream.

The Canterbury bowls star, 35, grabbed her second Commonwealth gold medal in Leamington Spa last summer but will not compete in this year’s annual global showpiece on the Gold Coast in September.

The four-time Games medallist, who joined forces with Natalie Chestney and Jamie-Lea Winch to topple Malaysia last year, has three young children and opted to remain at home for family reasons.

Honnor bagged bronze on the Gold Coast in 2018 and hopes her plans for a quieter year will not hamper her dream of climbing two steps higher on the podium in the same nation at Victoria 2026.

“I have made myself unavailable for the World Championships, which was a difficult decision,” said Honnor, speaking ahead of Bowls’ Big Weekend on May 26-29.

“But being in Australia and being quite a long time away and so far away from young children, I felt that after last year it was the right thing to do.

“I am still busy and playing in national and county competitions, so it will be a little bit slower-paced than last year.

“But I am still looking forward to the challenges that the season is no doubt going to bring.

“Four years is a very long time - in the period between my first and second Commonwealth Games, I had got married and had two children, so it just goes to show that your whole life can change dramatically in a four-year period.

“I would be lying if I said I would not be keen to keep bowling and keep testing myself.

“And if I am still good enough, then I would love to put myself forward for contention [for Victoria].”

Bowls’ Big Weekend is taking place between 26-29 May, with clubs across the country holding open days to encourage new players to give the sport a go.

The event gives the bowls community the great opportunity to come together and celebrate the sport, with clubs across the country opening their doors for free to enable new participants to discover everything that is great about the game.

Honnor, who is editor of leading world bowls magazine Bowls International, soared to the summit of the podium in Leamington Spa – the spiritual home of bowls – with her family and friends in attendance.

Combining with partners in crime Chestney and Winch, the tricky trio beat Malaysia 17-9 in the final after strong wins over Northern Ireland and the Cook Islands.

And while securing her second gold medal after Glasgow 2014 was a special moment for Honnor, it was her children’s presence at the home of lawn bowls that brought on the emotion.

She added: “Having the opportunity to play in a home games was something really special and really good for the sport - as much as for us as individuals and as a team, Leamington was a great showcase for bowls in general.

“It is such an honour playing for your country and obviously to do well just makes it that much more special.

“It was quite emotional actually, one of the biggest reasons that I carry on trying to play at the top level is to show my children that if you want something badly enough and you put the hard work in, then anything is possible.

“So, to have them there and to be able to see me in action, with the right colour medal being the icing on the cake, made it so lovely.

“It is something I will never forget.

“For a sport such as bowls, we do not get those moments enough, so it is really important and hopefully bowls is a fixture in the Commonwealth Games calendar for years.”

To find your nearest participating club and sign up for a free session go to bowlsbigweekend.com