Who is Darren Burnett and what did he say about retiring from international bowls?
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DISTINGUISHED multi-award-winning bowls player Darren Burnett announced his retirement from international outdoor matches in June 2023. However, he's still going strong indoors and is competing at the World Indoor Bowls Championship in 2025. Revealing his decision to step down from the outdoor sport, the Scot told the BBC: "The timing just felt right; it's something I've been mulling on for some time now.".
![[A Scottish lawn bowler holding a gold medal and the Saltire at a medal ceremony.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2014-glasgow-commonwealth-games-day-964210825.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Burnett cited a lack of progress in the sport as his reason for stepping down after twenty years of competing for Scotland. He also expressed his disappointment at losing his head coach, David Gourlay, in the lead-up to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
![[Darren Burnett of Scotland competing in lawn bowls at the Commonwealth Games.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/g790f0-scotlands-darren-burnett-australias-964210828.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Burnett said: "We need to continue developing. "Over the last 18 months we have scuttered about a bit if I am being honest. "I think we really need to take a close look at where we are going and try and get back down that path because there is one thing for sure, other countries will keep progressing so we need to do the same.".
![[Lion and cubs huddled together.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/3-wife-linsey-daughter-isla-964210830.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
But despite stepping away from the outdoor arena, the Arbroath native has shown no signs of stopping playing in the indoor scene as he continues to participate internationally for the 2025 Wold Indoor Bowls Championships. Born May 27, 1976, in Arbroath, Darren started to pick up the sport at the age of eight through his family.
His late father was a former Scottish international and it's no surprise that the apple didn't fall far from the tree. With great precision and phenomenal tactics, Darren won titles in the local Dundee area from a young age, making his debut in the Scotland Junior International (Under 25) at the age of 17 in 1993.
