Alison Merrien

{{Infobox sportsperson

| headercolor =

| name = Alison Merrien
{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}}}}

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| nationality = British (Channel Islander)

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|11|28|df=y}}{{cite web|url=http://kl98.thecgf.com/athletes/lawn.htm|title=1998 Commonwealth Games profile|publisher=Commonwealth Games Federation|access-date=23 June 2019|archive-date=1 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401203324/http://kl98.thecgf.com/athletes/lawn.htm|url-status=live}}

| birth_place = Guernsey

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| club = Guernsey Bowls Stadium

| highestranking = 11 (June 2024){{cite web|url=https://worldbowlsseries.com/female-rankings/ |title=Female rankings |publisher=World Bowls Series |access-date=28 June 2024}}

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{GGY}} }}

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Alison Jayne Merrien {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} (born 28 November 1974) is an indoor bowls player from Saint Peter Port, Guernsey. She reached a career high ranking of world number 11 in June 2024.{{cite web|url=https://worldbowlsseries.com/female-rankings/ |title=Female rankings |publisher=World Bowls Series |access-date=9 March 2025 }}

Bowls career

By virtue of winning her national title she qualified to represent Guernsey at the World Singles Champion of Champions in 2007 where she defeated Siti Zalina Ahmad in the final to win the gold medal.

Merrien won double gold in the women's singles defeating Karen Murphy and the mixed pairs with Simon Skelton the 2011 World Indoor Bowls Championship.{{cite web|url=http://www.worldbowlstour.com/tournaments/potters-world-indoor-bowls-championships-2011|title=2011 Results|publisher=World Bowls Tour|access-date=2019-01-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703101726/http://www.worldbowlstour.com/tournaments/potters-world-indoor-bowls-championships-2011|archive-date=2015-07-03|url-status=dead}} She won a third medal eight years later in 2019 losing out to Julie Forrest of Scotland in the final.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/bowls/46992892|title=World Indoor Bowls: Julie Forrest wins first ladies' singles title|date=24 January 2019 |publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=26 January 2019|archive-date=26 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190126164946/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/bowls/46992892|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://worldbowlstour.tv/scotlands-julie-forrest-is-the-new-just-2019-ladies-world-indoor-champion/|title=SCOTLAND'S JULIE FORREST IS THE NEW 'JUST' 2019 LADIES WORLD INDOOR SINGLES CHAMPION|publisher=World Bowls|access-date=26 January 2019|archive-date=26 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190126164507/https://worldbowlstour.tv/scotlands-julie-forrest-is-the-new-just-2019-ladies-world-indoor-champion/|url-status=live}} In 2022, she finally claimed a third title when winning the mixed pairs with Paul Foster and also reached the women's singles final.{{cite web|url=https://guernseypress.com/sport/2022/01/19/world-mixed-pairs-title-for-ali/|title=World mixed pairs title for Ali|date=19 January 2022 |publisher=Guernsey Press|access-date=20 January 2022|archive-date=19 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119112536/https://guernseypress.com/sport/2022/01/19/world-mixed-pairs-title-for-ali/|url-status=live}} She also reached the mixed pairs final in 2023.{{cite web |url=https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/sport/uk-sport-news/kirklistons-ceri-ann-glen-bags-26004860 |title=Kirkliston's Ceri Ann Glen bags another world title with Mixed Pairs success |publisher=Edinburgh Live |access-date=19 January 2023 |archive-date=19 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119173901/https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/sport/uk-sport-news/kirklistons-ceri-ann-glen-bags-26004860 |url-status=live }}

In the southern hemisphere equivalent the World Cup Singles she has won two titles in 2008 and 2012 and has finished runner up on three more occasions.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/bowls/7352152.stm|title=Merrien conquers Indoor World Cup|date=18 April 2008 |publisher=BBC Sport}} In 2022, Merrien won the mixed pairs at the inaugural World Bowls Indoor Championships, partnering Stewart Anderson, they defeated Michael Stepney and Claire Anderson in the final.{{cite web|url=https://bowlsinternational.keypublishing.com/anderson-and-merrien-claim-mixed-pairs-title/|title=Anderson And Merrien Claim World Bowls Indoor Mixed Pairs Title|date=28 April 2022 |publisher=Bowls International|access-date=29 April 2022|archive-date=29 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429115041/https://bowlsinternational.keypublishing.com/anderson-and-merrien-claim-mixed-pairs-title/|url-status=live}}

In addition she has claimed three IIBC singles titles in 2009, 2011 & 2015{{cite web |url=http://guernseypress.com/sport/2015/04/20/another-world-title-for-merrien/ |title=Another world title for Merrien |date=20 April 2015 |publisher=Guernsey Press |access-date=12 September 2015 |archive-date=8 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208080506/http://guernseypress.com/sport/2015/04/20/another-world-title-for-merrien/ |url-status=live }} and the mixed pairs Championship in 2001 and 2004.{{cite web|url=https://guernseypress.com/news/2007/11/15/merrien-thrashes-british-champ/|title=Merrien thrashes British champ|date=15 November 2007 |publisher=Guernsey Press|access-date=15 January 2019|archive-date=16 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116003203/https://guernseypress.com/news/2007/11/15/merrien-thrashes-british-champ/|url-status=live}}

Nationally she has won the British Isles Indoor Women's Singles Championship in 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2015{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/bowls/31831335 |title=Alison Merrien wins two British Isles Indoor titles |work=BBC Sport |date=11 March 2015 }} and the British Isles Indoor Women's Pairs Championship in 2015

Awards

Merrien was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to bowls in the 2012 New Year Honours,{{London Gazette |issue=60009 |date=31 December 2011 |pages=25 |supp=1}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-guernsey-16356909 |title=BBC News - Bowls star Alison Merrien given New Year Honour |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=2011-12-31 |accessdate=2013-01-27}} and is married to Ian Merrien who is also a successful bowls player.

References

External links

{{2006 Commonwealth Games profile|108759|Alison Jayne Merrien}}

Category:1974 births

Category:Living people

Category:Guernsey female bowls players

Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire

Category:Indoor Bowls World Champions

Category:People from Saint Peter Port