{{Short description|Canadian lawn bowler (born 1984)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}} {{Use Canadian English|date=May 2018}} {{Infobox sportsperson | headercolor = | name = Ryan Bester | image = | image_size = <!--Only for images narrower than 220 pixels.--> | caption = | nationality = Canadian | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|12|7|df=y}} | birth_place = Hanover, Ontario | death_date = | death_place = | sport = Bowls | club = Hanover LBC / Broadbeach BC | medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry | {{CAN}} }} {{MedalCompetition | World Outdoor Championships }} {{MedalGold | 2004 Ayr | pairs }} {{MedalBronze | 2008 Christchurch | singles }} {{MedalSilver | 2012 Adelaide | singles }} {{MedalBronze | 2012 Adelaide | pairs }} {{MedalSilver | 2016 Christchurch | singles }} {{MedalGold | 2023 Gold Coast | singles}} {{MedalBronze | 2023 Gold Coast | pairs }} {{MedalCompetition | Commonwealth Games }} {{MedalBronze | 2006 Melbourne | singles }} {{MedalSilver | 2014 Glasgow | singles }} {{MedalSilver|2018 Gold Coast|singles}} {{MedalCompetition|Asia Pacific Bowls Championships}} {{MedalGold|2005 Melbourne|singles}} {{MedalSilver|2007 Christchurch|singles}} {{MedalBronze|2007 Christchurch|pairs}} {{MedalBronze|2011 Adelaide|pairs}} {{MedalBronze|2011 Adelaide|fours}} {{MedalGold|2015 Christchurch|pairs}} {{MedalSilver|2019 Gold Coast|singles}} {{MedalBronze|2019 Gold Coast|pairs}} {{MedalCompetition|Atlantic Bowls Championships}} {{MedalGold|2007 Ayr|singles}} }}
'''Ryan George Peter Bester''' (born 7 December 1984 in Hanover, Canada) is a Canadian lawn bowler.
==Bowls career== ===World Outdoor Championships=== Bester won the gold medal in the pairs with Keith Roney at the 2004 World Outdoor Bowls Championship in Ayr.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://guernseypress.com/news/2004/10/27/tough-draws-for-sarnian-youngsters/ |title=Tough Draws for Sarnian youngsters |publisher=Guernsey Press |access-date=10 November 2024 }}</ref> After winning a bronze in the 2008 World Outdoor Bowls Championship he finished runner-up to Leif Selby in the 2012 World Outdoor Bowls Championship men's singles. He won his fifth World Championship medal when winning a silver medal in the singles at the 2016 World Outdoor Bowls Championship in Christchurch.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.burnsidebowlingclub.com/2016WorldBowlsChampionshipFinalsResults.html|title=2016 World Bowls Championship Finals|publisher=Burnside Bowling Club}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bowls.com.au/2020-world-bowls-championships-competing-countries/|title=2020 WORLD BOWLS CHAMPIONSHIPS: COMPETING COUNTRIES|publisher=Bowls Australia}}</ref>
In 2023, he was selected again by Canada for the 2023 World Outdoor Bowls Championship.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bowlsinternational.keypublishing.com/competitors-confirmed-world-bowls-outdoor-championships/ |title=COMPETITORS CONFIRMED: WORLD BOWLS OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023 |website=Bowls International |access-date=1 September 2023}}</ref> He participated in the men's pairs and the men's fours events.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldbowls.com/events-list/ |title=Events and Results, World Championships 2023 Gold Coast, Australia |publisher=World Bowls |access-date=1 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://world2023.bowls.com.au/event-info/schedule/ |title=SCHEDULE & DRAWS |publisher=Bowls Australia |access-date=1 September 2023}}</ref> In the pairs, Bester qualified in first place with John Bezear in his group before being eliminated at the semi final stage, after losing to Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sirc.ca/news/canada-advances-to-quarterfinals-in-3-of-4-disciplines/ |title=Canada Advances to Quarterfinals in 3 of 4 Disciplines |publisher=SIRC |access-date=1 September 2023}}</ref> However one week later, in the singles he went on to win the gold medal after beating Gary Kelly in the final.
===Commonwealth Games=== He clinched the silver medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in lawn bowling.<ref name=Y2014>{{cite news |url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/canadas-bester-wins-silver-lawn-bowling-commonwealth-games-184102252--spt.html |title=Canada's Ryan Bester wins silver in lawn bowling at the Commonwealth Games |work=Canadian Press |date=1 August 2014 |accessdate=29 May 2018 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904090134/https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/canadas-bester-wins-silver-lawn-bowling-commonwealth-games-184102252--spt.html |archivedate=4 September 2014 }}</ref> He also won bronze medal in 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.<ref name=Y2014 />
In November 2017, Bester was named to Canada's 2018 Commonwealth Games team.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1058179/bowls-canada-nominate-10-athletes-for-gold-coast-2018-commonwealth-games |title=Bowls Canada nominate 10 athletes for Gold Coast 2018|last1=Morgan|first=Liam|date=21 November 2017|website=Insidethegames.biz |publisher=Dunsar Media |access-date=23 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/bowls-canada-nominates-10-athletes-to-canadas-2018-commonwealth-games-team-658875743.html|title=Strong Canadian presence for the greens of the 2018 Commonwealth Games|date=20 November 2017|website=Insidethegames.biz |publisher=CNW Group Ltd. |access-date=23 November 2017}}</ref> During the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Queensland he won a silver medal in the singles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://results.gc2018.com/en/lawn-bowls/event-schedule-men-s-singles.htm|title=Singles results|publisher=Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games}}{{dead link|date=August 2025}}</ref> In 2022, he competed in the men's singles and the men's pairs at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://results.birmingham2022.com/#/athlete-details/48647|title=Official Games profile|publisher=2022 Commonwealth Games|access-date=2 August 2022}}</ref>
===Asia Pacific and Atlantic=== Bester has won eight medals at the Asia Pacific Bowls Championships, a singles gold in 2005, a silver in the singles and bronze in the pairs in 2007, double bronze in 2011 and a pairs gold in 2015. His seventh and eighth medals came in with a singles silver and pairs bronze at the 2019 Asia Pacific Bowls Championships in the Gold Coast, Queensland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sportsdesq.sportstg.com/portal/index.cfm?fuseaction=main&OrgID=16084|title=Results Portal|publisher=Bowls Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/113870873/shannon-mcilroy-wins-thrilling-asia-pacific-bowls-championships-singles-final|title=Shannon McIlroy wins thrilling Asia Pacific bowls championships singles final|publisher=Stuff}}</ref> In 2007 he won the singles gold medal at the Atlantic Bowls Championships.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/IF0503578199/GDCS?u=oxfshlib&sid=GDCS&xid=7d5bdb51|title=Bester is the best' |date=23 July 2007 |newspaper=The Times |access-date=22 May 2021|page=55 |via=The Times Digital Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://bowlscanada.com/en/team_canada_member/ryan-bester/#primary Ryan Bester] at Bowls Canada * {{CGF profile|48745}} (2002–2014) * {{2006 Commonwealth Games profile|106374}} * {{2014 Commonwealth Games profile|lawn_bowls/1018265/ryan_bester}} * {{2018 Commonwealth Games profile|lawn-bowls/athlete-profile-n6026912-ryan-bester}} * {{2022 Commonwealth Games profile|48647}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bester, Ryan}} Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian male bowls players Category:Bowls World Champions Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Canada Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Canada Category:Bowls players at the 2002 Commonwealth Games Category:Bowls players at the 2006 Commonwealth Games 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:20th-century Canadian sportsmen Category:21st-century Canadian sportsmen Category:Medallists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Category:Medallists at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Category:Medallists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Category:Commonwealth Games bowls players for Canada Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in lawn bowls Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in lawn bowls