Julie Thomas

Julie Thomas is one of Wales’s most decorated para bowls athletes and a true inspiration in the sport. A former primary school head teacher from Bridgend, Julie took up bowls in 2014 after losing her sight — and within two months had won her first Welsh title. She went on to become the first Welsh Para athlete to hold an Indoor and Outdoor title simultaneously, and has accumulated multiple national and British Isles gold medals since.
Julie competed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, winning a bronze medal in the mixed para-sport pairs alongside Gilbert Miles, and at the 2022 Games, where she claimed silver in the Mixed Pairs B2–3 alongside Gordon Llewellyn. Glasgow 2026 will be her third Commonwealth Games — and her partnership with Steffan James brings fresh momentum after the pair claimed gold at the first-ever Para Bowls European Championships in 2024.