Sam Tolchard
{{Short description|English bowls player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| headercolor =
| name = Sam Tolchard
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| nationality = British (English)
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|5|27|df=y}}
| birth_place = Torquay, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| sport = Bowls
| club = Torquay Utd (indoors)
Kings BC (outdoors)
| highestranking = 16 (August 2024){{cite web|url=https://worldbowlsseries.com/male-rankings/ |title=Male rankings |publisher=World Bowls Series |access-date=28 June 2024}}
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry|{{ENG}}}}
{{MedalSport|Men's lawn bowls}}
{{MedalCompetition|Commonwealth Games}}
{{MedalBronze | 2014 Glasgow|pairs}}
{{MedalBronze|2018 Gold Coast|fours}}
{{MedalSilver | 2022 Birmingham|pairs}}
{{MedalBronze|2022 Birmingham|fours}}
{{MedalCompetition|Atlantic Bowls Championships}}
{{MedalSilver|2009 Johannesburg|singles}}
{{MedalSilver|2009 Johannesburg|triples}}
{{MedalBronze|2019 Cardiff|triples}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Champion of Champions}}
{{MedalGold| 2022 Wellington|singles}}
{{MedalCompetition|Hong Kong International Bowls Classic}}
{{MedalGold|2010|pairs}}
{{MedalCompetition|British Isles Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2017|pairs}}
{{MedalCompetition|English Nationals}}
{{MedalGold|2007|cofc}}
{{MedalGold|2008|singles}}
{{MedalGold|2016|pairs}}
{{MedalGold|2016|singles2w}}
{{MedalGold|2019|cofc}}
{{MedalGold|2021|singles}}
}}
Sam Tolchard (born 27 May 1989) is an English international lawn and indoor bowler.{{cite web|url=http://www.henselite.co.uk/team/sam-tolchard|title=Profile|publisher=Henselite}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/bowls/63755210 |title=Tolchard wins first global title | publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=25 November 2022}} He reached a career high ranking of world number 16 in September 2024.{{cite web|url=https://worldbowlsseries.com/male-rankings/ |title=Male rankings |publisher=World Bowls Series |access-date=9 March 2025 }}
Profile
In 2009, he won the singles and triples silver medals at the Atlantic Bowls Championships{{cite web|url=http://www.worldbowlsltd.co.uk/results-old.php|title=2009 Atlantic Championships|publisher=World Bowls Ltd|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100314062629/http://www.worldbowlsltd.co.uk/results-old.php|access-date=21 May 2021|archive-date=14 March 2010}}{{cite news |url= https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/IF0503964873/GDCS?u=oxfshlib&sid=GDCS&xid=284753c0|title=Bowls |date=18 May 2009 |newspaper=The Times |access-date=21 May 2021|page=61 |via=The Times Digital Archive|url-access=subscription }} and the following year in 2010, he won the Hong Kong International Bowls Classic pairs title with Robert Newman.{{cite web | url=http://www.hklba.org/new/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=146&Itemid=218&lang=en | title=HK Classic winners Men Pairs | publisher=HKLBA | access-date=7 June 2021}}
He competed for England in the men's pairs at the 2014 Commonwealth Games{{cite web|title=Glasgow 2014: Sam Tolchard aims to banish 2010 bowls nightmare|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/commonwealth-games/27812230|website=BBC News|accessdate=10 May 2015|date=12 June 2014}} where he won a bronze medal.{{cite web |title=Glasgow 2014 profile |url=http://results.glasgow2014.com/athlete/squash/1024899/sam_tolchard.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140914200943/http://results.glasgow2014.com/athlete/squash/1024899/sam_tolchard.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=14 September 2014 |accessdate=14 September 2014}}{{cite web|title=Tolchard makes up for his Delhi dismay with bronze in men's pairs|url=http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Tolchard-makes-Delhi-dismay-bronze-men-8217-s/story-21963471-detail/story.html|website=Western Morning News|accessdate=10 May 2015|date=28 July 2014}}
He was selected as part of the English team for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Queensland{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/news/team-england-lawn-bowlers-selected-for-gold-coast-2018-commonwealth-games#DLHCSLkooDvDMf2q.97|title=2018 Commonwealth Games team|publisher=Team England}} where he claimed a bronze medal in the Fours with David Bolt, Jamie Chestney and Louis Ridout.{{cite web|url=https://results.gc2018.com/en/lawn-bowls/event-schedule-men-s-fours.htm|title=Fours results|publisher=CG2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/commonwealth-games/43748412|title=Commonwealth Games: Scotland's Alex Marshall wins record fifth gold as women take bronze in bowls|publisher=BBC Sport}}
In 2019, he won the triples bronze medal at the Atlantic Bowls Championships{{cite web|url=http://www.worldbowls.com/event/2019-atlantic-championships/|title=2019 Atlantic Championships|publisher=World Bowls|access-date=15 May 2021}} and in 2020, he was selected for the 2020 World Outdoor Bowls Championship in Australia but the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web|url=https://www.bowlsengland.com/selection-2020-world-bowls-championships/|title=SELECTION: 2020 WORLD BOWLS CHAMPIONSHIPS|date=6 January 2020|publisher=Bowls England}} In 2022, he competed in the men's pairs and the men's fours at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.{{cite web|url=https://results.birmingham2022.com/#/athlete-details/56866|title=Official Games profile|publisher=2022 Commonwealth Games|access-date=2 August 2022}} Partnering Jamie Walker he won the pairs silver medal, losing out to Wales in the final and in the fours he also secured a bronze medal.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/commonwealth-games/62383542|title=Wales beat England to win gold|publisher=BBC|access-date=2 August 2022}}
In November 2022, he won the gold medal at the World Singles Champion of Champions in Wellington, New Zealand.{{cite web|url=https://www.bowlsengland.com/sam-tolchard-crowned-world-champion-of-champions-champion/ |title=Tolchard crowned World Champion of Champions champion| publisher=England Bowls |access-date=25 November 2022}}
In 2023, he was selected as part of the team to represent England at the 2023 World Outdoor Bowls Championship.{{cite web |url=https://bowlsinternational.keypublishing.com/competitors-confirmed-world-bowls-outdoor-championships/ |title=COMPETITORS CONFIRMED: WORLD BOWLS OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023 |website=Bowls International |date=5 June 2023 |access-date=2 September 2023}} He participated in the men's singles and the men's pairs events.{{cite web|url=https://www.worldbowls.com/events-list/ |title=Events and Results, World Championships 2023 Gold Coast, Australia |publisher=World Bowls |access-date=2 September 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://world2023.bowls.com.au/event-info/schedule/ |title=SCHEDULE & DRAWS |publisher=Bowls Australia |access-date=2 September 2023}} In the singles, he won his group undfeated but then lost to Iain McLean at the quarter final stage.
National Achievements
He has won eight National Championship titles, including six singles titles.{{cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/e/2PACX-1vTES6_wJnq77Qpg4L82G5Aisntif5ROsAiyQgZquY9qfYSvZwO3VOo4AYnRLfSb8iwvYOAHDd49Yuwx/pubhtml#|title=Bowls England National Finals 2021|publisher=Bowls England|access-date=22 August 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bowlsengland.com/the-delivery-double-two-bowl-delight-for-tolchard-on-day-14/|title=DOUBLE TWO BOWL DELIGHT FOR TOLCHARD ON DAY 14 |publisher=Bowls England |access-date=8 September 2022}} He bowls outdoors for Kings BC, who have won the Top Club championship four years running from 2016 to 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.bowlsengland.com/mens-top-club/|title=KINGS SECURE FOURTH SUCCESSIVE MEN'S TOP CLUB TITLE|website=Bowls England|date=15 September 2019}}
National titles
- 2007 Bowls England National Championships (Men's Champion of Champions)
- 2008 Bowls England National Championships (Men's Singles Four Wood)
- 2016 Bowls England National Championships (Men's Pairs)
- 2016 Bowls England National Championships (Men's Singles Two Wood)
- 2019 Bowls England National Championships (Men's Champion of Champions)
- 2021 Bowls England National Championships (Men's Singles Four Wood)
- 2021 Bowls England National Championships (Men's Singles Two Wood)
- 2022 Bowls England National Championships (Men's Singles Two Wood)
Personal life and family
Tolchard is the brother of England international bowler Sophie Tolchard.{{cite web|url=http://www.torquayindoorbowls.co.uk/Newsletter.html|title=News|publisher=Torquay United Indoor Bowling Club}} His father, Ray Tolchard, played cricket for Devon and was a first-class cricket umpire, and his uncle Roger Tolchard played Test cricket for England and county cricket for Leicestershire. Another uncle, Jeffrey Tolchard, also played cricket for Leicestershire and played football for Torquay United and Exeter City.{{cite web |title=Sam Tolchard |url=https://teamengland.org/team-england-athletes/sam-tolchard |website=Team England |access-date=3 August 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Team England|sam-tolchard}}
- {{CGF profile}} (2010–2014)
- {{2014 Commonwealth Games profile|lawn_bowls/1024899/sam_tolchard}}
- {{2018 Commonwealth Games profile|lawn-bowls/athlete-profile-n6033385-samuel-tolchard|Samuel Tolchard}}
- {{2022 Commonwealth Games profile|56866}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tolchard, Sam}}
Category:English male bowls players
Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for England
Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for England
Category:Bowls players at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
Category:Bowls players at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Category:Bowls players at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Category:Bowls players at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
Category:Sportspeople from Torquay
Category:Medallists at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Category:Medallists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Category:Medallists at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
Category:21st-century English sportsmen