Nick Brett (born 14 May 1974) is an English lawn and indoor bowler.[1][2][3]

Nick Brett
Brett in 2015
Personal information
Born (1974-05-14) 14 May 1974 (age 50)
Peterborough, England
Sport
SportBowls
ClubBrampton BC
Huntingdon IBC
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking19 (August 2024)
Medal record
Representing  England
Men's Bowls
World Outdoor Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Gold Coast triples
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2022 Birmingham triples
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Birmingham fours
World Indoor Bowls Championships
Gold medal – first place 2014 pairs
Gold medal – first place 2016 singles
Gold medal – first place 2017 mixed pairs
Gold medal – first place 2020 pairs
Gold medal – first place 2020 mixed pairs
Gold medal – first place 2023 pairs
Gold medal – first place 2024 mixed pairs
British Isles Championships
Gold medal – first place 2000 singles
National championships
Gold medal – first place 1999 singles
Gold medal – first place 2022 pairs

Bowls career

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Brett bowls for the Huntingdon indoor bowls club and Brampton outdoor bowls club. He was ranked the indoor world number 1 in 2015 and 2016.[4] and also won an outdoors National Title in 1999 and subsequent singles at the British Isles Bowls Championships in 2000.[5]

Brett's greatest achievement before 2016 was winning the 2014 World Indoor Bowls Championship Pairs title partnering Greg Harlow.[6] It was during the 2016 World Indoor Bowls Championship that Brett became the World Singles Champion for the first time beating Robert Paxton in a competitive final.[7]

Brett followed up his 2016 success by winning the mixed pairs title at the 2017 World Indoor Bowls Championship with Claire Johnston of Scotland.[8] He then joined an exclusive group of players who have won five or more world indoor titles after winning both the open pairs and mixed pairs at the 2020 World Indoor Bowls Championship[9][10] and he narrowly failed to become the first player to win the treble after losing to Paxton in the open singles final. Other major indoor wins include the 2015 International Open and the 2013 and 2014 Scottish International Open.

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.[11] World ranked number one indoors he was unable to participate in the 2021 World Indoor Bowls Championship because he broke his arm following an accident playing golf.[12]

In 2022, he competed in the men's triples and the men's fours at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.[13] The team of Brett, Louis Ridout and Jamie Chestney won the triples gold medal and in the fours he also secured a bronze medal.[14] The success during 2022 continued when he secured a second national title, winning the 2022 pairs with Lewis Baker.[15]

At the 2023 World Indoor Bowls Championship, Brett won the Open Pairs with Greg Harlow again, defeating Jason Greenslade and Michael Stepney in the final. It was Brett's sixth title over all disciplines.

In 2023, he was selected as part of the team to represent England at the 2023 World Outdoor Bowls Championship.[16] He participated in the men's triples and the men's fours events.[17][18] In the triples with Jamie Walker and Louis Ridout, he won a bronze medal.

Brett started 2024 in good form winning the 2024 World Indoor Bowls Championship mixed pairs with Julie Forrest, as the pair bowled together for the first time in the Championships.[19]

Personal life

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Brett is a supervisor by trade and is married with two children.[4] Due to injury in 2021 he was unable to compete in the World Indoor Championships and consequently joined the commentary team for the event.

References

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  1. ^ "Profile". World Bowls Tour.
  2. ^ "Profile". Bowls tawa.
  3. ^ "England Player Profiles". Bowls England. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Brett Player Profile". World Bowls Tour.
  5. ^ "Previous Winners". British Isles Bowls Council.
  6. ^ "Nicky Brett partner Greg Harlow to title". Hunts Post.
  7. ^ "World Indoor Bowls: Nick Brett beats Robert Paxton for first title". BBC Sport.
  8. ^ "World Indoor Bowls Championship 2017: Brett & Johnston win mixed pairs title". BBC Sport.
  9. ^ "HARLOW & BRETT – 2020 WORLD INDOOR PAIRS CHAMPIONS". World Bowls Tour.
  10. ^ "BRETT & PURCELL ARE THE NEW WORLD INDOOR MIXED PAIRS CHAMPIONS". World Bowls Tour.
  11. ^ "SELECTION: 2020 WORLD BOWLS CHAMPIONSHIPS". Bowls England. 6 January 2020.
  12. ^ "World Number One Nick Brett Forced To Withdraw From World Indoor Championships". Bowls International. 8 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  13. ^ "Official Games profile". 2022 Commonwealth Games. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Commonwealth Games: England's men take gold in lawn bowls triples". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  15. ^ "The Delivery, Delight for duo Baker and Brett on day six". Bowls England. 30 August 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  16. ^ "COMPETITORS CONFIRMED: WORLD BOWLS OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023". Bowls International. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  17. ^ "Events and Results, World Championships 2023 Gold Coast, Australia". World Bowls. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  18. ^ "SCHEDULE & DRAWS". Bowls Australia. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  19. ^ "Brilliant Brett wins his seventh World Indoor Gold medal". Peterborough Today. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
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