Boccia UK continues to be consistent

Having scooped a medal haul of one gold and three bronzes, Boccia UK athletes return home from the Montreal World Cup and are looking ahead to their next major event.

With the first ever European Para Championships taking place in August in Rotterdam, which features ten sports including boccia, Performance Director Greg Baker says that “consistency is paying off across the squad.”

In Montreal, medals for Great Britain came from Eastleigh’s David Smith OBE who again won the gold and stamped his authority on the BC1 men’s category. In a thrilling final with Portugal’s Andre Ramos, who is well known on the circuit for propelling the ball with amazing accuracy with his left foot. Smith came out on top with a 5-2 win:

“I was really happy with my game and my performance. I felt like I finally hit my level in the final. Earlier in the week, I found it tricky with muscle stiffness and inconsistent rolls but I was finally able to relax into the game. Andre is a great rival and it’s always enjoyable to share a court with him.”

Elsewhere in the individual competition, Northern Ireland’s Claire Taggart took the bronze medal. Following on from her gold medal in Zagreb just a few weeks ago, the result will earn her all-important ranking points ahead of the Paralympic Games in Paris next year. Stephen McGuire and Jamie McCowan also finished just out of the medals in fourth place.

But perhaps the highlight of the World Cup came in the Team and Pairs event in which the BC4 Pair and the BC1/2 Team both won bronze medals. The Team has made huge strides in recent months, having worked their way towards podium positions including triumphing at the World Championships last December.

This time, Will Hipwell – the man in the centre of the court between Smith and Taggart – was switched out for newcomer Kayleigh Haggo, the Scot who is more well known for her success in framerunning with six world records to her name. Playing the winning shot, she was thrilled with her performance:

“Winning a bronze with the Team and placing ninth individually is more than I ever imagined at my first World Cup. I still cannot believe that 14 months into the sport, I am competing against and beside the best boccia athletes in the world.”

And Stephen McGuire and Fiona Muirhead also made history in the BC4 Pair. Muirhead joined the Boccia UK squad in 2022 and has steadily enjoyed increasing success against world class opposition. Together, the Lanarkshire duo clinched bronze after overcoming Colombia 3-1, enabling Muirhead to celebrate her first-ever World Cup medal. McGuire explained:

“The BC4 category is extremely tough and we’ve been able to beat countries who sit above us in the world rankings which takes true grit and talent.”

Performance Director Greg Baker was really pleased with the results:

“The squad has continued to take momentum and consistency into the summer training block and in preparation for the Europeans in August. We have seen great performances in Montreal against world class opposition but we also know there are areas to work on and build towards which is exciting for the future.

“Our long-term ambition is to enjoy increased breadth and depth across all classifications, with athletes having realistic medal chances in both individual and Team and Pair events at the major competitions. Our experiences in Zagreb and Montreal has felt as if we have stepped closer to that goal but we know there is a long journey ahead if we are to fully realise that ambition.”