Gold for Wilson, silver for Lester
What a win! What a celebration!
Aaron Wilson wins Gold in the men’s lawn bowls over Ryan Bester and this crowd is going off… along with Wilson’s t-shirt!@Toyota_Aus #OhWhatAFeeling pic.twitter.com/5UC8cnuzwe
— 7CommGames (@7CommGames) April 13, 2018
Victoria’s bowlers have further boosted the Australian Jackaroos’ extraordinary medal tally at the Commonwealth Games, with Aaron Wilson grabbing gold and Barrie Lester his second silver medal of the event.
Bendigo-raised Wilson, who recently departed the State to take up a role at NSW bowls powerhouse Cabramatta, beat Canada’s Ryan Bester in the blue ribbon men’s singles event to claim the Jackaroos’ fifth gold medal at Broadbeach.
His emotional win, complete with tearing his shirt off John Aloisi and Kelvin Kerkow-style in celebration, added to Victorian gold medals from Carla Krizanic (two), Josh Thornton and Ken Hanson.
Wilson, who played for Clayton in Melbourne Metropolitan Pennant Premier League last season, now joins Krizanic as a world and Commonwealth champion.
Wilson was five shots down in the early stages of the decider, but really hit his straps when he drove a bare jack into the ditch with his first bowl of the eighth end, eventually collecting two, and then piling on the score over the ensuing ends.
Wilson eventually prevailed 21-14.
Mulgrave Country Club’s Lester was part of the men’s fours team which fell just short of gold in the final, losing 13-15 to Scotland on the final end after leading for the majority of the match against the world champion Scots.
It added to Lester’s silver in the men’s triples won earlier in the tournament.
Honours weren’t restricted to Victorian bowlers, with Victorian International Technical Official John Roberts chosen to umpire the gold medal singles match.
Australia finished the bowls competition with five gold and two silver medals – coming into the 2018 Games having not won Commonwealth gold since 2006.
