History

First held in Australia in 1966, the World Bowls Championships for men and women are held every four years.

From 2008, the men’s and women’s events were held together.

Qualifying national bowls organisations (usually countries) are represented by a team of five players, who play once as a single and a four, then again as a pair and a triple.

Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded in each of the four disciplines, and there is also a trophy for the best overall team; the Leonard Trophy for men and the Taylor Trophy for women.

Northern Ireland & the Republic of Ireland compete as one Irish team.

Men’s Titles

Year	Venue	Singles Gold	Pairs Gold*	Triples Gold*	Fours Gold*	Team Champion
1966	Sydney, Australia	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 David Bryant	🇦🇺 Geoff Kelly, Bert Palm	🇦🇺 John Dobbie, Athol Johnston, Don Collins	🇳🇿 Bill O’Neill, Gordon Jolly, Ron Buchan, Norm Lash	🇦🇺 Australia
1972	Worthing, England	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Maldwyn Evans	🇭🇰 Eric Liddell, Saco Delgado	🇺🇸 Dick Folkins, Clive Forrester, Bill Miller	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Peter Line, Ted Hayward, Cliff Stroud, Norman King	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland
1976	Johannesburg, South Africa	🇿🇦 Doug Watson	🇿🇦 Bill Moseley, Doug Watson	🇿🇦 Kevin Campbell, Nando Gatti, Kelvin Lightfoot	🇿🇦 Kevin Campbell, Bill Moseley, Nando Gatti, Kelvin Lightfoot	🇿🇦 South Africa
1980	Melbourne, Australia	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 David Bryant	🇦🇺 Peter Rheuben, Alf Sandercock	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 David Bryant, Tony Allcock, Jimmy Hobday	🇭🇰 Omar Dallah, Eric Liddell, George Souza, Philip Chok	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England
1984	Aberdeen, Scotland	🇳🇿 Peter Belliss	🇺🇸 Skippy Arculli, Jim Candelet, George Adrain *	Jim Baker, Sammy Allen, Stan Espie (IRE)	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Tony Allcock, John Bell, Julian Haines, George Turley	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland
1988	Auckland, New Zealand	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 David Bryant	🇳🇿 Peter Belliss, Rowan Brassey	🇳🇿 Phil Skoglund, Morgan Moffat, Ian Dickison	Jim Baker, Sammy Allen, John McCloughlin, Rodney McCutcheon (IRE)	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England
1992	Worthing, England	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Tony Allcock	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Alex Marshall, Richard Corsie	🇮🇱 Cecil Bransky, Lawrence Mendelsohn, Leon Bluhm	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Angus Blair, Willie Wood, Alex Marshall, Graham Robertson	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland
1996	Adelaide, Australia	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Tony Allcock	Sammy Allen, Jeremy Henry (IRE)	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 George Adrain, Willie Wood, Kenny Logan	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 John Bell, Andy Thomson, David Cutler, Brett Morley	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland
2000	Johannesburg, South Africa	Jeremy Henry (IRE)	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Alex Marshall, George Sneddon	🇳🇿 Peter Belliss, Rowan Brassey, Andrew Curtain	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Will Thomas, Robert Weale, Stephen Rees, Mark Williams	🇦🇺 Australia
2004	Ayr, Scotland	🇦🇺 Steve Glasson	🇨🇦 Ryan Bester, Keith Roney	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 David Peacock, Willie Wood, Jim McIntyre	Jim Baker, Neil Booth, Noel Graham, Jonathan Ross (IRE)	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland
2008	Christchurch, New Zealand	🇲🇾 Safuan Said	🇳🇿 Gary Lawson, Russell Meyer	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 David Peacock, Willie Wood, Wayne Hogg	🇳🇿 Gary Lawson, Russell Meyer, Richard Girvan, Andrew Todd	🇳🇿 New Zealand
2012	Adelaide, Australia	🇦🇺 Leif Selby	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Alex Marshall, Paul Foster	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Graeme Archer, Darren Burnett, David Peacock	🇦🇺 Aron Sherriff, Mark Casey, Brett Wilkie, Wayne Ruediger	🇦🇺 Australia
2016	Christchurch, New Zealand	🇳🇿 Shannon McIlroy	🇦🇺 Aaron Wilson, Brett Wilkie	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Robert Paxton, Andy Knapper, Jamie Walker	🇳🇿 Ali Forsyth, Blake Signal, Mike Kernaghan, Mike Nagy	🇳🇿 New Zealand
2023	Gold Coast, Australia	🇨🇦 Ryan Bester	Adam McKeown & Gary Kelly	🇦🇺 Corey Wedlock, Aron Sherriff & Carl Healey	🇦🇺 Corey Wedlock, Aaron Teys, Carl Healey & Aron Sherriff	🇦🇺 Australia

Women’s Titles

Year	Venue	Singles Gold	Pairs Gold*	Triples Gold*	Fours Gold*	Team Champion
1969	Sydney, Australia	🇵🇬 Gladys Doyle	🇿🇦 May Cridlan, Elsie McDonald	🇿🇦 Kathy Bidwell, Yetta Emanuel, Sara Sundelowitz	🇿🇦 May Cridlan, Kathy Bidwell, Yetta Emanuel, Sara Sundelowitz	🇿🇦 South Africa
1973	Wellington, New Zealand	🇳🇿 Elsie Wilkie	🇦🇺 Dot Jenkinson, Lorna Lucas	🇳🇿 Cis Winstanley, Noeleen Scott, Irene Foote	🇳🇿 Cis Winstanley, Verna Devlin, Noeleen Scott, Irene Foote	🇳🇿 New Zealand
1977	Johannesburg, South Africa	🇳🇿 Elsie Wilkie	🇭🇰 Helen Wong, Elvie Chok	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Enid Morgan, Margaret Pomeroy, Joan Osborne	🇦🇺 Merle Richardson, Lorna Lucas, Connie Hicks, Dot Jenkinson	🇦🇺 Australia
1981	Toronto, Canada	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Norma Shaw	Nan Allely, Eileen Bell (IRE)	🇭🇰 Lena Sadick, Rae O’Donnell, Linda King	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Eileen Fletcher, Gloria Thomas, Mavis Steele Betty Stubbings, Irene Molyneux*	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England
1985	Melbourne, Australia	🇦🇺 Merle Richardson	🇦🇺 Merle Richardson, Fay Craig	🇦🇺 Mavis Meadowcroft, Norma Massey, Dorothy Roche	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Frances Whyte, Annette Evans, Elizabeth Christie, Sarah Gourlay	🇦🇺 Australia
1988	Auckland, New Zealand	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Janet Ackland	Margaret Johnston, Phillis Nolan (IRE)	🇦🇺 Dorothy Roche, Marion Stevens, Greeta Fahey	🇦🇺 Dorothy Roche, Norma Wainwright, Marion Stevens, Greeta Fahey	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England
1992	Ayr, Scotland	Margaret Johnston (IRE)	Margaret Johnston, Phillis Nolan (IRE)	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Frances Whyte, Janet Maxwell, Joyce Lindores	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Senga McCrone, Frances Whyte, Janet Maxwell, Joyce Lindores	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland
1996	Leamington Spa, England	🇳🇫 Carmen Anderson	Margaret Johnston, Phillis Nolan (IRE)	🇿🇦 Hester Bekker, Barbara Redshaw, Jannie de Beer	🇦🇺 Daphne Shaw, Margaret Sumner, Marilyn Peddell, Gordana Baric	🇿🇦 South Africa
2000	Moama, Australia	Margaret Johnston (IRE)	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Joyce Lindores, Margaret Letham	🇳🇿 Anne Lomas, Sharon Sims, Patsy Jorgensen	🇳🇿 Anne Lomas, Patsy Jorgensen, Jan Khan, Sharon Sims	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England
2004	Leamington Spa, England	Margaret Johnston (IRE)	🇳🇿 Jo Edwards, Sharon Sims	🇿🇦 Loraine Victor, Jill Hackland, Trish Steyn	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Amy Monkhouse, Jean Baker, Ellen Falkner, Jayne Christie	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England
2008	Christchurch, New Zealand	🇳🇿 Val Smith	🇳🇿 Jo Edwards, Val Smith	🇿🇦 Lorna Trigwell, Loraine Victor, Sylvia Burns	🇦🇺 Karen Murphy, Claire Duke, Julie Keegan, Lynsey Clarke	🇦🇺 Australia
2012	Adelaide, Australia	🇦🇺 Karen Murphy	🇦🇺 Rebecca Van Asch, Kelsey Cottrell	🇦🇺 Karen Murphy, Lynsey Clarke, Natasha Scott	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Margaret Letham, Caroline Brown, Lynn Stein, Michelle Cooper	🇦🇺 Australia
2016	Christchurch, New Zealand	🇦🇺 Karen Murphy	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Jess Sims, Laura Daniels	🇦🇺 Rebecca Van Asch, Natasha Scott, Carla Krizanic	🇦🇺 Natasha Scott, Rebecca Van Asch, Carla Krizanic, Kelsey Cottrell	🇦🇺 Australia
2023	Gold Coast, Australia	🇳🇿 Tayla Bruce	🇲🇾 Aleena Binti Ahmad Nawawi & Nur Ain Nabilah Binti Tarmizi	🇦🇺 Dawn Hayman, Lynsey Clarke, Kelsey Cottrell	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Sophie Tolchard, Jamie-Lea Marshall, Lorraine Kuhler & Amy Pharaoh	🇳🇿 New Zealand

Para Titles

Year	Venue	Para Men’s Pairs Gold	Para Women’s Pairs Gold	Vision-impaired mixed pairs gold	Team Champion
2023	Gold Coast, Australia	🇦🇺 Damien Delgado & James Reynolds	🇳🇿 Julie O’Connell & Teri Blackbourn	🇦🇺 Jacky Hudson & Jake Fehlberg (Directors Rob Hudson & Cody Fehlberg)	🇦🇺 Australia

Summary – just gold medals

Summary – with team trophy wins

Nation	Men							Women							Para					Total
	Singles	Pairs	Triples	Fours	Team	Total		Singles	Pairs	Triples	Fours	Team	Total		Men	Women	Mixed VI	Team	Total
🇦🇺 Australia	2	3	2	2	4	13		3	3	5	4	5	20		1		1	1	3	36
🇳🇿 New Zealand	2	2	2	3	2	11		4	2	2	2	2	10			1			1	22
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland	–	3	4	1	5	13		–	1	1	3	1	6							19
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England	5	–	2	2	2	11		1	–	–	3	4	8							19
🇿🇦 South Africa	1	1	1	1	1	5		–	1	4	1	2	8							13
Ireland	1	2	1	2	–	6		3	4	–	–		7							13
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Wales	1	–	–	1	–	2		1	1	1	–		3							5
🇭🇰 Hong Kong	–	1	–	1	–	2		–	1	1	–		2							4
🇺🇸 USA	–	1	1	–	–	2		–	–	–	–		–							2
🇲🇾 Malaysia	1	–	–	–	–	1		–	1	–	–		1							2
🇨🇦 Canada	1	1	–	–	–	2		–	–	–	–		–							2
🇮🇱 Israel	–	–	–	1	–	1		–	–	–	–		–							1
🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea	–	–	–	–	–	–		1	–	–	–		1							1
🇳🇫 Norfolk Island	–	–	–	–	–	–		1	–	–	–		1							1

Most individual gold medals

6 individual titles

• Margaret Johnston (IRE)

4 individual titles

• Tony Allcock (ENG)
• David Bryant (ENG)
• Alex Marshall (SCO)
• Karen Murphy (AUS)
• Willie Wood (SCO)

3 individual titles

• Sammy Allen (IRE)
• Jim Baker (IRE)
• Peter Belliss (NZ)
• Lynsey Clarke (AUS)
• Kelsey Cottrell (AUS)
• Joyce Lindores (SCO)
• Phillis Nolan (IRE)
• David Peacock (SCO)
• Merle Richardson (AUS)
• Dorothy Roche (AUS)
• Aron Sherriff
• Sharon Sims (NZ)
• Rebecca Van Asch (AUS)
• Natasha Van Eldik (AUS)
• Frances Whyte (SCO)