The 26th edition of the World Bowls Junior Indoor Championship takes place at the Jim Baker Stadium, home to County Antrim IBC, Ballyclare, Northern Ireland.

It’s the second time in four years the event has been held at the club. Co-sanctioned by World Bowls and the International Indoor Bowls Council (IIBC), the World Bowls Junior Indoor Championship is open to players under 25 years of age from all the members countries/regions around the world.

The history of the event can be traced back to 1998 when it was entitled “WIBC Junior Championship”, solely organised by the World Indoor Bowls Council. It changed to the current format in 2019 with the WIBC becoming the International Indoor Bowls Council and reintroducing players from the World Bowls membership countries to the competition.

The event has been held on 25 occasions; the first event being held in Llanelli (Wales) in 1998. Only a men’s event was held on that occasion, and the first winner was Darren Burnett (Scotland). The following year the event was also held at Llanelli and saw the ladies’ event taking place for the first time with Karen Murphy AM (Australia) taking the first title.

The year 2004 saw the introduction of the mixed pairs for the first time and the inaugural winners were Catherine Beattie (Ireland) and Wayne Hogg (Scotland). A total of 36 players from 18 countries and regions will participate in this year’s event.

Twelve months ago, when the event was played at Hong Kong Football Club in the centre of the vibrant Asia city of Hong Kong, seven countries won medals, but it was Australia who had the bragging rights with Kane Nelson winning both the men’s singles and mixed pairs with Kira Bourke. Malta’s Rebecca Rixon was the women’s singles champion.

In 2023, in East Kilbride, Scotland, Ireland’s Shauna O’Neill did the double winning both the women’s singles and mixed pairs, while in 2022 at County Antrim, Harry Goodwin from England walked away with the men’s and mixed pairs titles.

Can that double world champion feat be achieved for the fourth year in succession? Watch this space. The field is strong with New Zealand’s Briar Atkinson one to watch – she currently lies in 10th place in the World Bowls Series female ranking list, while highest ranked male competitor is Joseph Clarke, Australia, who is 28th, and will be looking to be make it a hattrick for the Aussies winning the men’s singles for the third year in succession following in the footsteps of Nathan Black in 2023 and the aforementioned Nelson in 2024.

Hosting nation hopes lie with Daniel Spratt, Zoe Stratton, recent World Cup men’s pairs bronze medalist Adam McKeown, mixed pairs winner of this event with Zoe Minish in 2019, and Lorna McMullan, with Lara Reaney, women’s World Cup bronze medalist playing in the mixed pairs with Israel’s Ido Iron.

Malaysia, recent winners of the inaugural World Cup, will be looking to keep the winning momentum going in Ireland with their representatives Muhammad Izraf and Nurin Izzati bidding for glory, while Ellie Dixon from Norfolk Island will be looking to become their second world bowls champion in recent months following Shae Wilson’s triumph in the World Bowls champion of champions women’s singles.

Scotland have dominated the men’s singles winning the title on 13 occasions by Darren Burnett (first four times, a record never been beaten), Wayne Hogg (twice), Stewart Anderson (twice), Stewart Allen, Martin Williamson, Craig England, Ryan Burnett and current World Bowls Series men’s No 1 Jason Banks, while Australia have won the women’s singles the most – 12 times in total thanks to Karen Murphy, Stacey Colliar, Lynsey Armitage (now Clarke) twice, Melanie Mccauley (twice), Samantha Shannahan, Chloe Stewart, Kristina Krstic (now Van Nierop), Ellen Ryan (now Fife) and Brianna Smith.

The singles roll of honour also includes Wales’ Commonwealth Games men’s pairs holder Daniel Salmon, Australia’s back-to-back men’s Commonwealth Games singles gold medallist Aaron Wilson, World Cup silver medallist Katherine Rednall (England), WBS female No 3 Chloe Stewart, plus Mark Casey (Australia), Karen Murphy (Australia), Lynsey Clarke (Australia) and Amy Pharaoh (England) who have just been inducted into the World Bowls Hall of Fame.