As the clock hand ticks forward, second by second, Garry Brown waits to defend his Commonwealth title. Being selected to represent Team Scotland for a third time is not something that Garry is taking lightly, with Glasgow 2026 already setting up to be a career highlight.
Garry will be arriving at Glasgow 2026 as reigning B6-B8 Pairs champion, a title that he successfully claimed in Birmingham, whilst partnered up with team-mate Kevin Wallace. cccAlong with having an opportunity to launch a title defence, the 2026 iteration of the Commonwealth Games has a lot more to offer, with Garry having the chance to represent Team Scotland in Scotland.
Being a passionate Scot, Garry has had the Glasgow-based Games in his mind since they were announced. Making the news of being selected overwhelmingly hard not to share, he said: “We actually found out a couple of weeks prior to the team being released, and we basically got told, ‘look keep it under wraps, don’t tell anybody’, and that’s probably the hardest thing I’ve done.”
However, the Para Bowls squad for the Games has been announced, and Garry is full of pride at the prospect of playing for Team Scotland in another Commonwealth Games “The only time you get to pull on a Scotland jersey is either World Championships or Commonwealth Games, for me the Commonwealth Games are the pinnacle of bowls.” The 43-year-old said.
Glasgow 2026 will mark the first time the Para Bowls competition will be played indoors, with all previous games having it as part of their outdoor events programme. Garry feels like this could provide an advantage to the Scottish team, packing a passionate home crowd indoors, he commented: “It’s going to be special, the majority of the crowd are going to be supporting us.”
“it’s going to be like having an extra team member, because they are just going to cheer everything, every time we play a good bowl the roof is going to get raised up.”
Take the excitement of a home games, and large crowd out of the picture, and you will find out that Garry is arriving with one thing on his mind, winning a second B6/B8 Pairs title, alongside his partner Stuart Sloam “Gold for me is the dream, that must be everybody’s dream I take it, and being involved in high-level sport all my days, I know what it takes to win gold. I know that me and Stuart will be more than ready.”
Growing up with cerebral palsy, Garry was a keen athlete, being a devoted footballer and swimmer. However, it was a chat with former Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) Chairperson, and leading disability sport influencer, Richard Brickley OBE MBE, that persuaded Garry to attempt a move onto the Para Bowls scene. Of course, a move that has proved fruitful, as Garry has gone on to win multiple international medals.
Although, it is the performance on the 2nd of August 2022, in Birmingham, that will be one of the most memorable moments of Garry’s career “Anytime I get the chance to pull on the Scotland jersey is a real highlight. But obviously the biggest highlight is winning the gold medal in 2022 in Birmingham”
Looking back at Kevin and his victory four years ago, not only has Garry been remembering it fondly, but it has become a massive source of motivation for the man from South Lanarkshire “Knowing I was in the team, I actually went back and watched the final three times, just so I could go, ‘I really want this again’”.
Garry and Stuart will still be a relatively new pairing by the time Glasgow 2026 rolls around. Though Garry is convinced that won’t be an issue for the B6/B8 Pair, knowing they will both do whatever it takes to be at the top of their game come the competition, he said: “By the time we hit Glasgow we will be practicing every weekend together, or whenever we can around work, we’re just going to get better and better.”
The Games may provide an amazing opportunity for Garry and Stuart to write their names in Commonwealth history. However, they will offer a lot more. With family, friends, coaches and former team-mates in the crowd, the pair have an opportunity to show what a lifetime of support has meant “Me and Stuart aren’t just doing it for us, it’s not about us, it’s about everybody. The minute you pull that Scotland jersey on it’s about everybody who has ever come and watched you, everybody who has ever helped you.” Garry said.
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