World Champs prep continues in Povoa

Britain’s boccia stars are back in World Cup action next week. Eight athletes are headed to Povoa – a firm fixture on the international boccia calendar and the final tournament before the World Championships in September.

The draw for the individual tournament will be made live and online. World number one Stephen McGuire goes into the tournament as top seed but faces tough opposition in the form of world number two Yuk Wing Leung and Artem Kolinko, who is currently in the number four spot.

He will be joined in the BC4 classification by Louis Saunders. Saunders made solid progress last year and has worked his way up the rankings and is now world number 13.

louis saunders at 2026 astana world cup

“Póvoa has been hosting boccia tournaments for 30 years, so they really know how to put on a great event. I’ve got some fantastic memories there, and the goal next week is to create a few more,” said Saunders.

“While the climb in the world rankings is nice, my coaches and support team are not focused on that. We are just determined to perform well in each game and give our best shot at winning the next match,” he added.

David Smith OBE is always of course a fierce contender. He is second seed and one player he’ll be vying to outwit is Muhamad Syafa who won gold at last month’s Astana World Cup.

Smith will also be looking forward to an opportunity to lead the BC1/2 Team which also features Kayleigh Brown and Reshad Saraj. In May, they won silver at the Finnish Challenger and will be aiming for the podium once again.

It marked a brilliant comeback for Brown who also won silver in the individuals. It was her first tournament since having a baby last year. Saraj has also been steadily climbing the rankings.

Patrick Wilson and Sally Kidson will both star in the BC3s individuals before the Pairs event starts. They will be aiming to enter the knock out rounds after failing to escape the group stages at last month’s World Cup.

Both Wilson and Kidson have credible track records. Wilson has notched up multiple medals across World and European Championships and has competed in two Paralympic Games.

Meanwhile Kidson competed at the Paris Paralympic Games and is European Champion. They have only been competing together as a Pair in recent months.

“I’m very excited to return to Povoa – it’s where I had my first competition and my first medal. I feel that I have real clarity on how I look and feel at my best and I will do everything I can to ensure I perform at my best throughout the competition,” said Wilson.

patrick wilson at last month’s astana world cup with coach glynn tromans

Another key name to note is Sophie Newnham. At just 18 years old, she reached the top of the world rankings in the BC4 women’s class after an incredible 2025 season. She will join Stephen McGuire in the BC4 Pairs and will be tournament favourites as the duo celebrated becoming world number ones just last month.