Gary Kelly and Adam McKeown secured Northern Ireland's third gold medal of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after winning the men’s pairs final in a dramatic extra-end shootout against England’s Nick Brett and Jamie Walker. McKeown and Kelly took the first set 6-2, Brett and Walker levelled the final 6-2 in the second set, and the Northern Ireland pair then prevailed 1-0 in the tiebreak.
The result delivered a third gold medal for Northern Ireland at the Games in Glasgow after Kate O'Connor won the heptathlon and Jon McConnell's men's 70kg boxing success on Saturday. It was also a fourth Commonwealth medal for Kelly, who finally added gold to the bronze medals he won earlier in the Games in the singles and in Delhi in 2020, as well as his silver in Birmingham four years ago. For McKeown, it was a second gold after he won the fours with Northern Ireland in 2022.
The victory also added to Northern Ireland’s bowls haul in Glasgow, coming after Kelly's singles medal and the third-place finish for Chloe Wilson and Shauna O'Neill in the women's pairs.
What did Kelly and McKeown say after the win?
Kelly said it was
"incredible"to win gold alongside McKeown, and the 36-year-old also joined Neil Booth as Northern Ireland's most successful bowler at the Commonwealths with four medals, something he admitted he
"wasn't even aware of".
"It's pretty cool company to be in, but I don't think of that stuff too much, to be honest,"
Kelly told NI.
"It's an amazing feeling and it's been an incredible journey. It's just amazing to complete the set and gain that ultimate goal for our country."
McKeown said it was
"surreal"to be a two-time gold medallist, and said the duo
"had worked so hard for this".
"I know how much it means to Gary, especially. It's relief and satisfaction just to get over the line,"
McKeown told NI.
"I'm just thankful for the opportunity I had to come into the Northern Ireland team and try to perform at best, and try to get a good result for the country."
How did the final unfold?
After reaching the final with tiebreak heroics in the semi-final win over Malaysia, it seemed fitting that the final would be decided in the same way. McKeown and Kelly made the faster start in the opening set, taking four shots in the third end on route to a 6-2 win.
The English pair responded in a tight second set, building a 3-0 lead before holding on to win 4-2 and force the final into a one-end shootout. Kelly then came closest to the jack, and Walker was unable to respond with his final bowl, sparking celebrations for the gold medal.
McKeown said:
"We wish it wasn't always an extra end but we played really well,"
"We got a huge four shots early on and kicked on from there in the first set."
"In the second set we lost a three early on in probably the worst end of the game, and then clawed our way back into it."
"Gary had a chance to win the game with his last bowl and unfortunately just missed, but he played an absolute bomb on the tiebreak end to secure the win."
Kelly said he had to grab the decisive chance
"with both hands".
"Obviously there's nerves and there's pressure, but you've just got to have belief and trust."
"I've been lucky enough n my career that I've done it before, so you've just got to reach into those moments and believe."
"You have to enjoy and embrace those moments as well, and thankfully I delivered."
Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games
Key Facts
- Adam McKeown and Gary Kelly won gold in the men’s pairs at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
- Northern Ireland won the final 1-0 in an extra-end tiebreak after the sets finished 6-2 and 2-4.
- It was Northern Ireland’s third gold medal in Glasgow after wins by Kate O'Connor and Jon McConnell.
- Kelly became Northern Ireland’s most successful Commonwealth bowler alongside Neil Booth with four medals.
- McKeown earned his second Commonwealth gold after winning the fours in 2022.
