Whitstable bowls star Sian Honnor says 2026 Commonwealth Games remains a target despite decision to miss this year’s World Championships in Australia

26.05.2023 - 21:23 kentonline.co.uk

Sian Honnor insists her decision to withdraw from this year’s World Championships will not derail her Australian Commonwealth dream.

The Kent bowls star, 35, grabbed her second Commonwealth gold medal in Leamington Spa last summer but will not compete in this year’s annual global showpiece on the Gold Coast in September.

The four-time Games medallist, who joined forces with Natalie Chestney and Jamie-Lea Winch to topple Malaysia in 2022, has three young children and has opted to remain at home for family reasons.

Honnor bagged bronze on the Gold Coast in 2018 and hopes her plans for a quieter year will not hamper her dream of climbing two steps higher on the podium in the same nation at Victoria 2026. “I have made myself unavailable for the World Championships which was a difficult decision,” said Whitstable’s Honnor, speaking ahead of Bowls’ Big Weekend which is held from today until Monday. “But being in Australia and being quite a long time away and so far away from young children, I felt that, after last year, it was the right thing to do. “I’m still busy and playing in national and county competitions, so it will be a little bit slower-paced than last year.

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