GB Boccia win medals at Test Event in Rio

GB Boccia took three players to Rio for the official Test Event for the Paralympic Games and came back with two medals, a BC1 Individual Gold for David Smith and a Silver in the BC1/BC2 Team.

Smith came through the competition unbeaten in individual competition, justifying his position as the top ranked BC1 athlete. His only test came in the pool stages as he needed a tie break to beat Portugal's Antonio Marques after the match finished 3-3. However the two met again in the final where Smith showed his class to prevail 6-0 having beaten fellow Portguese Joao Paulo Fernando in the semi.

Nigel Murray and Claire Taggart competed in the individual BC2 event but neither made it out of their respective pools.

Murray thumped Russia's Sathatskiy and Brazil's Rodrigues both 11-1 but was on the receiving end of a 10-0 from Araujo. A tie break defeat from Portugal's Valente following a 5-5 meant Murray couldn't make the semi-final.

Taggart performed commendably in defeats to quality oppsition including World Number 1 Maciel dos Santos of Brazil and recorded a deserved victory 6-1 against Russia's Kozmin.

The three came together in the Team event and comfortbaly beat Russia 9-2 and old foes Portugal 7-3 before narrowly losing to hosts Brazil 5-4 to take the Silver medal.

The experience will stand the athletes in good stead as they continue their preparations for their return to Rio for the Paralympic Games in September next year.