‘Thinking about the Commonwealth Games gives me goosebumps!’ 

Mary Wilson from Scottish Branch, last appeared in the Spring 2023 Gazette to tell us about her career and how, in retirement, she overcomes her MS by playing para-sport at the highest levels. Her latest sporting passion is bowls – and she has her sights set on this year’s Commonwealth Games.
 
Success in life so often comes down to the courage to seize opportunities, the resilience to face setbacks, and the determination to work hard for your goals. Few embody this more fully than the remarkable Mary Wilson, a woman who has never let the grass grow under her feet—and who seems to possess a natural talent for every sport she tries.

Mary’s journey began in 1986 when, at 22, she had her appendix removed. While recovering in hospital, she felt inspired to pursue a career in nursing. She joined the Army in the early 1990s and served for 20 years, with postings in the Belize jungle, Bosnia, and Northern Ireland. Her service also took her to Afghanistan, where she sustained a serious shrapnel injury after a Taliban fighter drove a jeep at her.
Following her discharge in 2012 after being diagnosed with MS, Mary seized the opportunity to compete in the Warrior Games in Colorado, captaining the field athletics team. She won gold in swimming and bronze medals in shotput and discus. More success followed in national and international badminton. During the pandemic, she faced another major challenge when she became seriously ill with neck cancer, but she made a strong recovery with the help of chemotherapy.

“I started bowls in 2016, just before my dad passed away,” Mary recalls. “Both he and my mum were very keen bowlers. He took me along to their local club and I just loved it. Dad bought me a membership and things went from there.”

That introduction to bowls became a lifeline when, just over two years ago, a shoulder replacement ended her badminton career. Seeking a new competitive outlet, she joined the Dudley bowling club in Edinburgh and soon found herself progressing rapidly. Her talent and determination led her into the Bowls Scotland squad and onto the international stage. “I thought, this is more like it. My body can’t put up with all the training for badminton anymore, and bowls is a much more sedate sport.”

Outdoor bowls is played from April to September, while indoor bowls runs year-round. Mary had never played the indoor game until last year. At first she disliked it, but she soon adapted. “You don’t have the wind or rain or bumps in the grass. It’s a very straight and fast game where you have to think about angles and weight. It’s very different, but in a good way. Now I really love it.”
Mary’s bowls partner, Pauline Wilson (no relation), has been a key part of her success. Together they defeated the world number three pairs at the European Championships and won the Bowls Scotland Disabled Open Pairs—the only all-female pairing in the finals.

The Commonwealth Games will take place in Glasgow from July to August this year, with indoor bowls included largely at Australia’s request. Mary travelled to Australia in January 2025 to visit family and explore the country’s “fantastic bowling clubs.” She was struck by the scale of investment. “They’ve got millions of Australian dollars invested in the sport and think nothing of spending four million to put a new carpet down. Bowls is massive there, and Australia are desperate to avenge their Commonwealth Games defeat to us from last time—they will be tough to beat.”
Hiring a car near Brisbane, she visited ten clubs, receiving a warm welcome and taking part in competitions.

Being shortlisted for the Commonwealth Games has been a long and demanding process. “Every ball you play is marked. They look at your technique, communication with your partner, technical skills, and work out your strengths and weaknesses compared to the other para-bowlers.”

To manage the pressure, Mary focuses entirely on each ball. “If it comes off, brilliant. If not, I forget about that ball and think about the next one.”

Last October, she learned that she and Pauline had made the shortlist for both the Scotland squad and the Commonwealth Games. Was she surprised? “I dared to dream,” she says with a smile. “I set out to be the best I could be. If I got selected, fantastic. If not, I’d still be an internationalist playing for Scotland. But to make the shortlist for the Commonwealth Games—saying I was really, really pleased is an understatement.”

Pauline, who has a prosthetic leg, hopes to defend her title after previously beating Australia with her final bowl—a shot Mary still marvels at. “I watch it back and think, ‘How did she do that? How did she hold her nerve?’ She’s a lovely friend and such a good player.”

Mary is candid about her health challenges. There were moments during her cancer treatment when she feared she might not survive. Although she knows her MS will worsen over time, bowls remains a vital outlet. “I put these things to the back of my mind,” she says.

Alongside competing, Mary has qualified to classify athletes with disabilities for the Scotland squad. She also mentors people with learning disabilities who are undertaking undergraduate and PhD studies, working around 16 hours a week.

Her days are full: walking the dog, driving to bowls practice in Livingston—a 40‑mile round trip—going to the gym, walking the dog again, and fitting in her mentoring work.

“The dream is being selected with Pauline to play in the Commonwealth Games because there are only six para teams,” she explains. “Two visually impaired, two physically disabled males, and two physically disabled females. It’s such a tight margin and everyone wants to be selected. The most important thing is to be prepared and absolutely peaking at the right time.”

QARANC Association members watching this summer may spot the familiar QA insignia—the Association has funded a set of bowling balls featuring the QA logo, which will hopefully catch the attention of TV cameras and commentators.

Recently, Mary attended the Scottish Women in Sport Awards at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow, where she was nominated for the Contribution to Para Sport Award for her coaching in badminton, field athletics, and swimming. She wore her Army medals and mess dress, which “went down really well” with the audience.

Looking ahead, Mary is taking each week as it comes and staying as fit and well as possible. The prospect of competing in the Commonwealth Games gives her “goosebumps.” After the Games, she plans a holiday in October—to swim with sharks in Indonesia. Then her focus will shift to the World Championships in 2027.

Reflecting on the sport she loves, Mary says, “I think it is the most inclusive sport for anybody. It doesn’t matter whether you’re physically disabled, have learning differences, are visually impaired or deaf. It doesn’t matter about your gender either. It’s one of the few sports where it doesn’t matter if it’s male versus female. It’s not about strength—it’s all about skill. I just think it’s a fantastic sport.”

Mary Wilson was speaking to Gazette Editor Steve Bax

Article on pages 26 - 29 of The Gazette (Spring Edition 2026)