Stef Branfield
{{short description|English female lawn and indoor bowler}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| headercolor =
| name = Stef Branfield
| image =
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| nationality = British (English)
| birth_place =
| death_date =
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| sport = Lawn / indoor bowls
| club = Clevedon BC
| highestranking = 29 (March 2025){{cite web|url=https://worldbowlsseries.com/female-rankings/ |title=Female rankings |publisher=World Bowls Series |access-date=31 December 2024 }}
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Women's lawn bowls }}
{{MedalCountry | {{ENG}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|European Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2022 Ayr|singles}}
{{MedalGold|2022 Ayr|pairs}}
{{MedalCompetition|English Nationals}}
{{MedalGold|2021, 2023|singles}}
{{MedalGold|2021|singles 2w}}
}}
Stephanie Branfield also known as Stef Branfield (born c.1993) is an English female lawn bowls international.{{cite web|url=https://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/sport/st-andrews-bowling-club-match-reports-8056378|title=St Andrews shock Clevedon stars in Mixed Fours success|publisher=The Weston Mercury|access-date=3 September 2021}} She reached a career high ranking of world number 29 in June 2025.{{cite web|url=https://worldbowlsseries.com/female-rankings/ |title=Female rankings |publisher=World Bowls Series |access-date=9 March 2025 }}
Bowls career
Branfield has represented England at bowls but came to significant prominence at the 2021 Bowls England National Finals when she won two English National titles representing the Clevdon Bowls Club and Somerset. The first title was the prestigious singles, where she beat Chris Mitchell of Wiltshire 21–16.{{cite web|url=https://www.bowlsengland.com/live-scores-benfinals21/|title=Daily Round Up|publisher=Bowls England|access-date=3 September 2021}} A few days later she reached the final of the two wood singles, beating Katherine Hawes 16–10.{{cite web|url=https://somersetbowls.org.uk/2021/08/31/somerset-at-leamington-31st-august-stef-takes-second-title-winning-womens-2-bowl-singles/|title=Somerset at Leamington – 31st August – Stef takes second title – winning Women's 2-Bowl Singles!!!|publisher=Somerset Bowls Association|access-date=3 September 2021}}
In 2022, she won double gold at the European Bowls Championships, winning the singles and pairs titles.{{cite web|url=https://bowlseurope.com/mens-singles-section-a/ |title=European Bowls Championships 2022T |publisher=Bowls Europe |access-date=28 September 2023}}
In 2023, she won the women's singles for the second time, during the 2023 Bowls England National Finals, defeating Jayne Christie in the final{{cite web|url=https://www.bowlsenglandcomps.com/competition/fixture/166 |title=2023 National Championships women's singles |publisher=Bowls England |access-date=23 August 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.insidebowls.com/pdfviewer/inside-bowls-september-2023/ |title=Inside Bowls Magazine, September 2023, page 10 Cream rises to the top at Leamington Spa |publisher=Inside Bowls |access-date=8 September 2023}} and in 2024 won the champion of champions title.{{cite web|url=https://www.bowlsenglandcomps.com/competition/fixture/229 |title=2024 National Championships women's cofc |publisher=Bowls England |access-date=28 August 2024}}
Family
Her father is former England international bowler Pip Branfield.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/1223545.wood-floors-golden-eagles/|title=Wood floors golden Eagles|publisher=York Press|access-date=3 September 2021}}