'I moved to Falkland Islands to work in TV, now I'm representing the territory at Commonwealth Games'
Many a childhood day for Oliver Thompson was spent watching his grandparents play crown green bowls in West Yorkshire. This summer, their eyes will be on him instead, as the 31-year-old competes at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, held in Glasgow.
Holmfirth-born Oliver, who now lives more than 8,000 miles away from Yorkshire in the Falkland Islands, has been selected to represent the territory in bowls when the Games get underway on July 23.
In a Games first, Glasgow 2026 will see both bowls and para bowls contested indoors, with organisers saying it will offer “a unique intimate experience for bowlers and spectators alike”.
Oliver’s grandparents will be in the crowd. "They love that I’m playing bowls,” he says. “They’ve been along to my competitions before as my official coaches and I think watching this will be a proud moment for them.”
Though he watched the game from an early age, Oliver didn’t begin playing bowls until after he moved to the Falklands six years ago.
He had been working in the football media in the UK, when he saw an opportunity arise for Falkland Islands Television and moved to the South Atlantic to take up the post.
One of the first stories he worked on over there related to a new bowls club and Oliver’s interest was piqued. He began attending each week as a way to keep busy in his new community and for the last three years has been competing internationally.
“It’s a way to switch off,” says Oliver, who now works in radio. “I love what I do, I love journalism but this is a chance to just be able to play and only worry about getting the closest to the jack rather than any other pressures.
"There’s a lot of camaraderie involved as well. You can go anywhere really and there’s always a bowls club. I have met a lot of friends in the game and I have travelled around the world to play. It’s done a lot for me.”
“When you go over to these competitions, you're not just competing,” he adds. “You're flying the Falklands flag as well and being an ambassador for the territory.”
In 2022, Oliver worked at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, with the media team for the Falklands. "I loved doing the press but I was like I want to be (competing) so I made it my goal to four years later be playing at the Commonwealth and I made the selection process,” he says.
“It’s quite nerve-racking. But I’ve made my target to compete…I’m feeling good, excited. I’m also the flagbearer as well. I’ll be able to fly the flag for a country I’ve lived in for six years which is quite a proud moment.
"In 2022, in Birmingham, I flew the flag for the Falklands just for the rehearsals for the opening ceremony and I’ll never forget that experience so to be able to go and do it for Glasgow properly this time will be incredible.”