Team NI friendship for former Australia housemates Shauna O'Neill and Chloe Wilson can prove key to unlock Commonwealth Games bowls success in Glasgow
Chemistry won’t be a problem for Team NI bowls players Shauna O’Neill and Chloe Wilson when they compete across the Commonwealth Games.
Good friends on and off the bowling green, they even lived together in the run-up to the 2023 World Championships in Australia when, along with Sophie McIntyre, bronze was won.
“Me and Chloe are used to being in each other's pockets, we've lived together before on the other side of the world, it's not foreign to us to spend so much time together...whether that's a good thing or a bad thing for her, I don't know,” laughed O’Neill ahead of Thursday’s opening ceremony. “But I think it will really work for us whenever we go to Glasgow, having that really tight-knit friendship.
"After Birmingham (2022 Commonwealth Games) we decided to pack up and move to the other side of the world for six months, which was an amazing time.
“Just so many memories created together, building our friendship and that relationship on the green as well to prepare...we ended up coming home with a medal, which seemed like it made all the sacrifices that we made worth it.
“I have Chloe with me, who's won a world title (2026), that's obviously a pleasure to have someone with you that has experience like that, so hopefully we'll use that.
“I would say probably four years older, four years more experienced (since Birmingham)...I don't know if the wiser part comes into it but, yeah, it feels like a lifetime ago but also at the same time it feels like just yesterday, so really looking forward to Glasgow now.
“Birmingham was absolutely fantastic...the support, the atmosphere, just being around all different athletes, I loved every minute of it.
“Me and Chloe now know how it feels to come home without a medal, so we're definitely going to use that as motivation.”
The bowls in Glasgow will be indoors.
“Birmingham was on grass and Glasgow's on an indoor surface, a portable that's laid,” she said. “It's very different and it's hard to know how to prepare for this one...I think I'll still kind of try and get green time in.
"At least now we know the lengths that are being set and stuff so we can practice all of them, different tactics and things, but, I don't think I'll do too much different.
“I'm now technically old within the bowls world...recently just out of the under 25s, I'm now 26 years old.
“I'm doing alright so far, I just came back from World Champions to Champions and got a bronze medal...the first time I'd medalled in the singles, I’ve won a few nationals this year and British Isles titles.
“You need a lot of support behind you...I get a lot of support with work, flexibility to play bowls.
“Don’t get me wrong, it takes a lot of planning and it is tough and can be draining at times, but I wouldn't have it any other way...I love what I do.”
Wilson has her grandparents to thank for introducing the sport of bowls and being able to travel the world within that field.
“I was quite young, my nanny and granda took me to New Mills when I was like six or seven, could have been younger, but that long ago now I don't really remember,” said Wilson, a recently-crowned world mixed pairs champion. “They took me along to short mat and then just kind of started from there, I didn't go to outdoor until I was like 12 or 13, granda took me up to Lurgan Park, it’s like a summer camp that they run.
"Played there the following year, was lucky enough to get selected in the under 25 team that year and then everything else has just kind of rolled into one.
“Definitely my mum and dad and my nanny and granda got me into it….once you start, you're just always looking to go out and do better, that’s the way I look at it.
"Every time I go out, I try and improve on my last performance...I'm starting to see the rewards of putting all that work in.”
Portadown’s Wilson is naturally delighted to be selected to represent Team NI for a second time.
“Honestly, it's unbelievable, I really didn't think it was going to happen, just over the moon,” she said. “I was 20 in Birmingham, so that was a dream come true to get that experience at such a young age, to have the belief of everyone at home and be in such a young team as well, playing alongside your friends.
“I truly believe that if me and Shauna hadn't have moved over (to Australia) when we did to prepare for world bowls, we wouldn't have got that bronze medal.
"So it's something that really sticks out for me, if you're willing to make small sacrifices, you'll always reap the rewards.
“I think it is important playing with somebody that you know very well, having the confidence in each other...to play that shot, you know what game they play, what kind of style they play so you know what to call them and what they're going to be more confident in playing, so I think it is quite important.
“This season's been quite busy...it's been a hectic year, but all the hard work and dedication is starting to pay off.”
The goal is to add to the medal collection in Glasgow, but Wilson knows it will be difficult with the new format.
“It’s going to be tough this year with it going into indoor, especially because it's during our outdoor season,” said Wilson. “There's not a lot of indoor practice you can do...but really looking forward to it.”