Darren Burnett, one of Scotland’s most successful and longest serving international players, has announced his retirement from outdoor international bowls.
The Arbroath police officer has spent over 20 years at the pinnacle of his sport, racking up multiple world titles and two Commonwealth Games golds, in 2014 and 2018.
After making his international debut in the late 1990s, Burnett quickly cemented his position as one of Scotland’s top players by capturing the men’s national outdoor singles title three times, in 1999, 2002 and 2005, which remains the joint record number of wins to this day.
World titles and Commonwealth glory followed – but Burnett now feels he is ready to pursue fresh opportunities.
Announcing his retirement from outdoor international bowls, he said: “For
over 20 years I have enjoyed competing for my country at the very highest level of
outdoor bowls.
“I’ve had the support of my wife, Linsey, and daughters, Isla and Evie, who have been
with me every step of the way. They have been present at many events and this has
contributed to the longevity and success I have achieved.
“Thanks also to my mum, Margaret, late father, Willie, and brother, Ryan, and
extended family and friends for all the support they have provided both in the lead
up, during and after major events.
“I have been lucky to play alongside and share successes with some amazingly
talented teammates. To play with and against some of the best bowlers in the world
while representing your country is a huge honour and something you should never
take for granted.
“Thanks to all the coaching staff and volunteers who have helped over the years.
Special mention to David Gourlay, who was a fantastic head coach, he took
Scotland forward to where we should be in the world with our high performance
programme.
“He treated everyone as an individual and had the respect of every player. It’s no surprise that a lot of my own personal success came during this time.
“While taking part in elite sport I’ve had to turn down many invites and offers from
all over the world, in particular Australia, so hopefully I can now look forward to new
challenges and take up some of these opportunities.”
Paying tribute to Darren’s years of dedication and outstanding achievements, Bowls Scotland CEO, Alan McMillan, added: “First of all, I would like to congratulate Darren on an incredible international career for Scotland over the last 30 years. His achievements
speak for themselves and put him right up there as an all time great in the sport of
bowls.
“For someone who has had to balance work, bowls and family life, Darren has always
committed himself to the high performance programme and has been a major part
of any Scotland team in recent times.
“As a true competitor I am sure Darren has not taken this decision lightly so I would
like to wish him all the best for the future. I am sure we will still see Darren competing in many other events and he will always be welcomed and appreciated by everyone at Bowls Scotland.”
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