Rhys Dowling (squash) became the first squash player from the Northern Territory to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where he and Cameron Pilley lost their men’s doubles quarter-final to the eventual gold medallists. Rhys was also Australia’s only competitor in the men’s singles where he lost in the round of 32. Playing squash since the age of five, Dowling decided he wanted to become a professional player after winning his first Australian Junior Championships title in 2008. That initiated a run of five consecutive titles the blue-ribbon junior event, including being crowned national champion in 2013 as the boys under-19 winner. The Queensland-based left-hander claimed the Australian Open in February 2021 – his first Australian senior title – and the men’s doubles with Rex Hedrick and the mixed doubles with Rachael Grinham at the 2022 Australian Doubles Open. He then teamed up with Hedrick to finish 9th at the World Doubles in Glasgow. Dowling’s highest world ranking was no. 93 in 2018 and he is coached by Nathan Turnbull in Brisbane.