Angus gold medal-winning Commonwealth Games bowling bobby Darren Burnett has played a blinder for his home town clubmates with the gift of a unique item of Gold Coast sporting memorabilia.
Fresh from success Down Under as part of Scotland’s triumphant men’s triples team, the 41-year-old has produced an auction item for a sell-out Arbroath Bowling Club dinner later this week fit to grace the collection of any fan of the sport.
Glasgow 2014 singles gold medal winner Darren had already been lined up by the Dishlandhill outdoor club to take part in a Q&A session at Friday’s event and has come up trumps with a Team Scotland shirt bearing the autographs of ten fellow Team Scotland bowls players, including Alex ‘Tattie’ Marshall who brought home gold and silver from this year’s event.
Dinner organiser John Christison said the company was already in for a treat with Darren due to be quizzed by Arbroath FC gaffer Dick Campbell, and Fife Provost Jim Leishman also part of the guest line-up.
Mr Christison added: “To have a player like Darren in the club is a great privilege and we’re absolutely delighted he has given us such a unique item.
“We hoped he might be able to give us a shirt signed by himself, but for him to get the signatures of so many of the other Team Scotland bowlers makes it a really unique piece of Commonwealth Games memorabilia.
“He’s got the names of the men on one side of the shirt and the ladies on the other so it’s a great item.
“It would look great hanging on the wall of any bowling club or bowls fan, and I’m sure our club will be bidding on it too,” said John.
Burnett is also sure to bring the Gold Coast gold he won alongside Ronnie Duncan and Derek Oliver to the dinner.
Introduced to bowls by his family – his late father, Willie also played for Scotland – Darren’s medal cabinet features the double golds he won in the men’s and mixed pairs events at the 2016 World Indoor Championships and a 2016 bronze from New Zealand’s World Outdoors event alongside the prized Glasgow gong.
He lost out in his 2018 Commonwealth Games singles title defence, finishing just off the medal podium after a close contest in the bronze medal match.
Mr Christison said other local businesses have also been generous in their support of the auction for club funds, with award-winning Angus distiller Arbikie putting up one of the first bottles of their rye whisky, the first tipple of its kind produced Scotland for more than a century.
Although the dinner is a sell-out, anyone wishing to make a bid for the unique shirt can contact John on 07999 072179.
