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Merrien makes winning start before leading out her island

Alison Merrien got her Commonwealth Games off to the ideal start yesterday – long before she enjoyed the honour of being Guernsey’s flag bearer at the Glasgow 2026 opening ceremony.

Husband and wife bowls players Ian and Alison Merrien had the honour of leading out the island at tonight’s Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.
Husband and wife bowls players Ian and Alison Merrien had the honour of leading out the island at tonight’s Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. / Picture by Jane Barlow/PA Wire

The bowls competitions got under way yesterday morning at the SEC Centre Hall 3 and Merrien teamed up with Rose Ogier to begin their women’s pairs sectional campaign with a 2-0 victory over the Isle of Man duo Caroline Whitehead and Paula Garrett in the brisk two sets of five ends format.

The Sarnians dominated the first set, winning it 5-1, before taking a single on the last end of a tighter second to clinch victory 3-2.

Ogier and Merrien will face Australia in their second outing this morning before facing further matches with Zambia, Northern Ireland, Singapore and Niue in their section.

The bowls competitions got under way yesterday morning at the SEC Centre.
The bowls competitions got under way yesterday morning at the SEC Centre. / Picture by Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

Guernsey’s men’s singles representative Jason Greenslade also got his campaign under way yesterday, but he could not have had a tougher task as he was up against the gold medallist from the last two Games in Australian star Aaron Wilson.

With the singles played over two sets of seven ends, Wilson quickly demonstrated his prowess with a fullhouse on the second end of the match on the way to taking the first set 8-4.

But Greenslade came agonisingly close to forcing a tiebreak as he led the second set 6-3 going into the final end only for Wilson to claim three shots for a 1.5-0.5 victory.

Last night’s opening ceremony was the first in Commonwealth history to be held in an indoor arena.
Last night’s opening ceremony was the first in Commonwealth history to be held in an indoor arena. / Picture by Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

The Guernsey player will be back in action against Diza Mpotho of Botswana this morning and faces Waylon Wentzel from Namibia later in the day.

Players from the Cook Islands, Jersey and Isle of Man are also in his section.

Later in the Games, Greenslade will play in the men’s pairs alongside Ian Merrien, who was Guernsey’s baton bearer in the opening ceremony.

Today will also see the start of the swimming events at Tollcross Swimming Centre while Guernsey boxer Tommy Teers will make his Games debut in the men’s 55kg round of 32 against Eriu Temakau of Kiribati this morning.

Related  Commonwealths, Front Page

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