Ryan Bester

Ryan Bester
Personal information
NationalityCanadian
Born (1984-12-07) 7 December 1984 (age 39)
Hanover, Ontario
Sport
SportBowls
ClubHanover LBC / Broadbeach BC
Medal record
Representing  Canada
World Outdoor Championships
Gold medal – first place 2004 Ayr pairs
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Christchurch singles
Silver medal – second place 2012 Adelaide singles
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Adelaide pairs
Silver medal – second place 2016 Christchurch singles
Gold medal – first place 2023 Gold Coast singles
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Gold Coast pairs
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Melbourne singles
Silver medal – second place 2014 Glasgow singles
Silver medal – second place 2018 Gold Coast singles
Asia Pacific Bowls Championships
Gold medal – first place 2005 Melbourne singles
Silver medal – second place 2007 Christchurch singles
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Christchurch pairs
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Adelaide pairs
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Adelaide fours
Gold medal – first place 2015 Christchurch pairs
Silver medal – second place 2019 Gold Coast singles
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Gold Coast pairs
Atlantic Bowls Championships
Gold medal – first place 2007 Ayr singles

Ryan George Peter Bester (born 7 December 1984 in Hanover, Canada) is a Canadian lawn bowler.

Bowls career

World Outdoor Championships

Bester won the gold medal in the pairs with Keith Roney at the 2004 World Outdoor Bowls Championship in Ayr. After winning a bronze in the 2008 World Outdoor Bowls Championship he finished runner-up to Leif Selby in the 2012 World Outdoor Bowls Championship men's singles. He won his fifth World Championship medal when winning a silver medal in the singles at the 2016 World Outdoor Bowls Championship in Christchurch.[1]

In 2020, he was selected for the 2020 World Outdoor Bowls Championship in Australia but the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

In 2023, he was selected again by Canada for the 2023 World Outdoor Bowls Championship.[3] He participated in the men's pairs and the men's fours events.[4][5] In the pairs, Bester qualified in first place with John Bezear in his group before being eliminated at the semi final stage, after losing to Ireland.[6] However one week later, in the singles he went on to win the gold medal after beating Gary Kelly in the final.

Commonwealth Games

He clinched the silver medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in lawn bowling.[7] He also won bronze medal in 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.[7]

In November 2017, Bester was named to Canada's 2018 Commonwealth Games team.[8][9] During the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Queensland he won a silver medal in the singles.[10] In 2022, he competed in the men's singles and the men's pairs at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.[11]

Asia Pacific and Atlantic

Bester has won eight medals at the Asia Pacific Bowls Championships, a singles gold in 2005, a silver in the singles and bronze in the pairs in 2007, double bronze in 2011 and a pairs gold in 2015. His seventh and eighth medals came in with a singles silver and pairs bronze at the 2019 Asia Pacific Bowls Championships in the Gold Coast, Queensland.[12][13] In 2007 he won the singles gold medal at the Atlantic Bowls Championships.[14]

References

  1. ^ "2016 World Bowls Championship Finals". Burnside Bowling Club.
  2. ^ "2020 WORLD BOWLS CHAMPIONSHIPS: COMPETING COUNTRIES". Bowls Australia.
  3. ^ "COMPETITORS CONFIRMED: WORLD BOWLS OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023". Bowls International. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Events and Results, World Championships 2023 Gold Coast, Australia". World Bowls. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  5. ^ "SCHEDULE & DRAWS". Bowls Australia. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Canada Advances to Quarterfinals in 3 of 4 Disciplines". SIRC. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Canada's Ryan Bester wins silver in lawn bowling at the Commonwealth Games". Canadian Press. 1 August 2014. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  8. ^ Morgan, Liam (21 November 2017). "Bowls Canada nominate 10 athletes for Gold Coast 2018". Insidethegames.biz. Dunsar Media. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  9. ^ "Strong Canadian presence for the greens of the 2018 Commonwealth Games". Insidethegames.biz. CNW Group Ltd. 20 November 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  10. ^ "Singles results". CG2018.
  11. ^ "Official Games profile". 2022 Commonwealth Games. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  12. ^ "Results Portal". Bowls Australia.
  13. ^ "Shannon McIlroy wins thrilling Asia Pacific bowls championships singles final". Stuff.
  14. ^ "Bester is the best'". The Times. 23 July 2007. p. 55. Retrieved 22 May 2021 – via The Times Digital Archive.