The weeklong event ended at the weekend when French skipped a composite four that lost the final against a North Island composite four of Ashley Diamond (Upper Hutt) Sheree Holmes (Upper Hutt Valley), Paul Wright and Richard Caddy (Auckland) 13-5.
The other members of French's team were Michael Lawson, Matt Markham (Ashburton) and Chris McAdam (Manawatu).
In the singles, French was beaten 11-9 by eventual winner Wayne Baker (Tauranga) in the semifinal. Baker beat Steve Fisher (Auckland) 13-5 in the final.
French (32) has been playing indoor bowls for 22 years but this was the first time he had won medals at the national open championships.
He gained much confidence when he won an Australasian medal in the triples at the Trans Tasman international event against Australia last month.
``I'm pleased with my form,'' French said.
``It helped me playing with the top bowlers in Sydney.''
There were 315 bowlers in the open singles, 195 teams in the pairs, 125 teams in the triples and 105 teams in the fours.
French was the only bowler from the four Otago centres to win a medal, but there were good performances by three of Dunedin's younger bowlers in the pairs.
Brothers Brandon and Adam Williams reached the last eight but were beaten 7-3 by the Auckland pair of Paul Wright and Richard Caddy. Wright and Caddy beat Paul Smith and Geoff Coughey (Tauranga) 11-6 in the final.
Dunedin's Daniel Sinclair and Tim Veale (Manawatu) reached the last 16 when they were be
Dunedin's Daniel Sinclair and Tim Veale (Manawatu) reached the last 16 before being beaten 8-5 by Wright and Caddy.
Brandon Williams is one of three new caps in the South Island team for the nine-match tour of the North Island that culminates with the 31st annual interisland match for the Kevin Eddy Memorial Trophy in Rotorua on August 12.
The other new caps are Brian Hotton (Southland) and Giovanni Persico (Nelson).
With the test players not eligible for selection, the South Island selectors have recalled seven players.
They are Caroline Braithwaite (Southland), who last played in 2013, Ann Graham (Canterbury) 2012, Marilyn Holmes (Otago) 2013, Carolyn Cooper (South Canterbury), Mike King (Canterbury), Daniel Sinclair (Otago) 2015, and Chris Moffitt (South Otago) 2014.
Otago players to retain their spot in the 20-strong team are Alanna Preddy and Chris Moffitt (South Otago) and Marilyn Holmes and Ann Cottrell (Dunedin).
