Darren Burnett: 'All-time great' ends outdoor bowls career for Scotland

Darren Burnett won two Commonwealth Games gold medals

Bowls "all-time great" Darren Burnett has retired from the outdoor game at international level, citing a lack of progress in the sport in Scotland as one of the reasons behind his decision.

The 47-year-old has a won a multitude of major outdoor medals during a glittering career, including a singles gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

He told BBC Scotland: "For me, the timing just felt right. I have had a really good run at it so it is now time to hand the baton on to others."

He continued: "It is something I have been mulling over for quite some time now.

"Losing our head coach David Gourlay in the lead up to Birmingham 2022 was a big loss to us. It was something we needed to fill and, unfortunately, we didn't do that."

Gourlay, the 1996 world indoor champion, stepped down from the role in the summer of 2021.

Former Scotland international Frazer Muirhead was appointed men's head coach for Bowls Scotland's high performance programme earlier this year.

Burnett, who was not selected for the upcoming World Bowls Championships in Australia, said: "I will always be respectful of David and delighted he took that role on, but we need to continue developing.

"The other home nations are now running similar paths and over the last 18 months we have scuttered about a bit if I am being honest.

"I think we really need to take a close look at where we are going and try and get back down that path because there is one thing for sure, other countries will keep progressing so we need to do the same."

"For me, the appointment of a recognised head coach who has been there and competed at a high level, elite perhaps, in our sport would be a start. That's where we have had our success and it would be naïve to think that David didn't have a strong link in that."

When contacted by BBC Sport Scotland, Bowls Scotland declined to comment.

The Arbroath native, who will continue to compete at international level indoors, says he considered retiring from the outdoor game after his 2014 high in Glasgow.

But the lure of competing in Australia four years later - where he struck gold in the men's triples - was too much.

"I would rather the timing was different. I still felt I had a major event or two in me but I don't regret it," said Burnett.

"There's a lot of stuff I haven't done, a lot of invites to Australia I've not taken up because I have just never been able to, so there is lots I can look forward to."

Bowls Scotland chief executive Alan McMillan praised Burnett's "incredible international career".

"His achievements speak for themselves and put him right up there as an all-time great," he said.

"For someone who has had to balance work, bowls and family life, Darren has always committed himself to the high performance programme and has been a major part of any Scotland team in recent times."