Sport
26 July, 2026
A city – and a nation – cheering for Ellen
All eyes will be on Glascow this week as Goulburn lawn bowler Ellen Fife seeks to etch her name into the history books – again.
All eyes will be on Glascow this week as Goulburn lawn bowler Ellen Fife seeks to etch her name into the history books – again.
In 2022 Fife, now 29, became the first player in Commonwealth Games history to win gold in both the singles and pairs at the same event.
She also returned home from Birmingham as the first Australian to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal on UK soil.
Fife – now a mother – is spearheading the team at this year’s Games in Glascow.
“Birmingham 2022 was incredibly special for me realising my lifetime dream to win two gold medals and now to return to the Games as a mum makes this selection amazing for different reasons,” she said before departing for Glascow.
Fife was introduced to bowls, aged 10, by her grandfather at the Goulburn Railway Bowling Club.
She celebrated her success at the Birmingham Games with students at her former workplace (Goulburn High School) and was treated to a street parade and civic reception.
Fife now works on a farm in Goulburn with her husband and is also a retained firefighter with NSW Fire and Rescue.
“(Life is) busy but in a good way,” she has said.
“Winning gold as a mum would be really special to myself and my family and just trying to be the best role model for my son.”
This year’s events are all being held indoors because of the weather – possibly giving Fife an edge given she was the first person to hold both the indoor and outdoor world under 25 singles titles at the same time.
According to Commonwealth Games Australia, only three people have ever won back-to-back singles titles at the Commonwealth Games: David Bryant, Mark Edwards and Aaron Wilsom – meaning Fife could become the first female in Commonwealth Games history win back-to-back titles.
Of the other three, David Bryant is widely considered as the greatest bowler of all time.
This year’s events are all being held indoors at the Scottish Event Campus with the Women’s Singles to start mid-week (Wednesday) and conclude with the medal matches on Saturday (August 2).
Bowls has featured at every edition of the Commonwealth Games since they began in 1930 with the exception of the 1966 Games in Kingston, Jamaica because no suitable facilities were available.
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