Next generation win gold at World Youth Champs

Three of GB’s brightest young boccia talents have won gold at the World Youth Championships.

Sophie Newnham, Tyler McLelland and Harrison Smith fly home from Povoa with a little extra baggage – a gold medal each - after winning the BC4 Pairs.

The trio battled it out against the top flight of junior talents from around the globe from 7 to 16 July 2023, learning all about what it takes to compete internationally and gaining valuable experience.

Sophie is 16 and has just completed her GCSEs. She explained:

“The best thing about this week has been playing Pairs competitively for the first time and learning new things as an individual. It feels so good to have won gold and it feels as if the hard work has paid off.”

After each athlete competed individually, Sophie took to the court with Tyler for the BC4 Pairs event, with Harrison supporting on the sidelines as substitute. In a tight, first game, they defeated Portugal 3-1. The final then saw GB pitted against Brazil. Sophie and Tyler went into the final end 3-1 down. But Sophie played a brilliant first ball right up to the jack which the Brazilians were unable to dislodge. Forcing a tiebreak, Tyler secured the gold medal with his final ball, requiring the Head Referee to come on court and check the measurement:

“I’m so happy to win gold,” said Tyler, who is 17 and a student at Fife College. “It’s been a fantastic experience to represent Great Britain. I was very nervous as I knew if we didn’t score, we’d lose the gold. It was so close - I thought we’d go to a double tiebreak, but the Head Referee declared it a win for GB.”

Meanwhile, Harrison – who celebrated his 17th birthday in Povoa – was also an important member of the winning team:

“Competing internationally for the first time has been brilliant – I’ve loved every minute. I feel proud to be a part of the gold medal winning team, knowing I’ve played well this week and supported my team-mates.”

Head of Performance Pathway Liz Fisher has been in Portugal this week with the team. She said:

“I’m so delighted that our next generation of athletes have had the opportunity to make history by competing in the first-ever World Youth Boccia Championships and returning home with gold in the BC4 Pair. The future is certainly bright for boccia in the UK and I know they’ll take all the experience - preparing for the event, competing and everything else that’s involved in an international tournament – with them into the future.”

And Boccia UK’s Performance Director Greg Baker was thrilled by the performances in Povoa:

“It’s fantastic to see our younger athletes coming through the pathway and competing on the world stage – it’s been a huge learning experience which I’m sure will help them develop as athletes. To win matches on the international scene – and against world-leading boccia nations, Brazil and Portugal - is no mean feat and it really augurs well for the future. It’s a great outcome and a great sign for what the future holds.”

Boccia UK would like to thank its home nation partners, in particular Boccia England and Scottish Disability Sport for their support of pathway athletes.

Tyler McLelland

Tyler is 17 years old from Windygates in central Fife. Coached by Claire Morrison, he certainly demonstrated his potential when he won his debut individual international match at the Czech Open in Prague last year. He is part of the Scottish Boccia Squad and studies at Fife College. He was also recently selected by Boccia UK for its first ever Talent Transition Squad.

Sophie Newnham

Sophie is 15 years old and is from Surbiton in southwest London. She started playing boccia at the age of 13. In October, she impressed Boccia UK when she won silver at the UK Championships. She is a student at Treloars School; the same school that Paralympic Champion David Smith OBE attended and has already shown great promise. She is coached by her brother, Jamie Newnham, and is supported by Boccia England,

Harrison Smith

Harrison is 17 years old and is from Cobham in Surrey. He discovered boccia at school. He attends Treloars School which boasts David Smith OBE among its alumni. He is supported by Boccia England and is coached by Kim Smith.