Island Games: Leach On Medal Ambitions
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Since capturing a surprise bronze medal at the International Island Games in Guernsey two years ago, David Leach has spearheaded a lawn bowls revival in Bermuda.
Leach returned from a 17-year hiatus to compete in the men’s singles event in Guernsey, where he defied expectations with a podium finish.
Since then, he has channelled that momentum into founding the Bermuda Bowls Association [BBA] and hosting weekly training sessions on the hockey field at the National Sports Centre.
Now, as president of the BBA, Leach is preparing to lead a full Bermudian team to the next edition of the Games, which begin tomorrow [July 12] in Orkney, Scotland.
He will be joined by his daughter Tamara Leach, Dave and Jude Barton, and Braden and Jinhwa Rustand.
“It’s great to have a team going to Orkney,” said Leach, who was Bermuda’s sole lawn bowls representative in Guernsey.
“For the others, it’ll be a brand-new experience, and with five of us, we can enter more events. I’m really hoping we can bring back another medal – that’s the goal.”
Now 49, Leach admits the stakes feel higher this time.
“It will be nice to have a team in Orkney,” said Leach, who was the sole lawn and bowls representative in Guernsey.
“It will be a new experience for the other guys, and we can enter more events now as there’s five of us.
“I’m realty hoping the team can bring back a medal – that’s the goal!”
Following his success in Guernsey, Leach had time off work, which allowed him to establish the BBA and lay the foundation for the sport’s growth in Bermuda.
“There was a core of people on the island who had played bowls in the UK and were keen to get involved,” he said.
“We didn’t have any equipment on the island and didn’t have anywhere to play.”
Leach credited Bermuda Island Games Association president Jon Beard for helping scout suitable venues.
After testing several locations, they settled on the hockey field at the National Sports Centre.
“It had a good pace and was relatively flat,” Leach explained. “Whenever one of us went to the UK, we tried to bring a set of bowls back with us.”
By early 2024, the group held its first practice sessions with just three or four players. Momentum grew quickly.
“We launched our website and tried to make it more organised,” Leach said. “We had eight or nine people at the AGM – I expected three or four. That encouraged us to keep at it.”
Since then, the BBA has joined World Bowls – the sport’s international governing body – and is working toward recognition as an official National Sports Governing Body through the Department of Youth, Sport & Tourism.
“We have lots of documentation in place and have a constitution,” said Leach, who arrived on the island from England seven years ago.
“We’re reasonably well positioned to meet the requirements.”
Leach also has long-term ambitions to grow the sport’s footprint across the island and to bring more Bermudians – especially young players – into the fold.
“Next summer there’s the Commonwealth Games [in Glasgow]; it’s probably too soon to get someone ready for that kind of standard, but that’s our very stretched objective.”
He is also eyeing future participation in World Bowls events through the European region, though player eligibility remains a hurdle.
“We can also compete in World Bowls events in the European region – but we need players with Bermudian passports or PRC [Permanent Resident’s Certificate] status,” he said.
“World Bowls has a key goal for lawn bowls to become an Olympic sport.”
Bermuda lawn bowls team: David Leach, Braden Rustand, Dave Barton, Tamara Leach, Jinhwa Rustand and Jude Barton
