Boccia UK battle to four medals in Veldhoven

Boccia UK is returning home from the Veldhoven 2022 World Boccia Challenger with three silver medals and a bronze.

On the final day of competition, GB secured silver in the BC3 Pair having already scooped two silvers and bronze in the individual competition.

Northern Ireland’s Robyn McBride and Will Arnott from Reading escaped the pool, winning all three matches against Ireland, Germany and Italy. Overcoming Sweden in the semi-final, they met Italy again in the final but were defeated 2-8.

It was the second medal of the tournament for both players. McBride – who won a bronze in the Women’s BC3 individuals – is still a newcomer to the squad and has only competed in a few international tournaments. She said:

“I still can’t believe I’ve come home with two medals. I’m just so proud to have done well for the team.”

Will Arnott was also in winning ways, having won a silver in the Men’s BC3 Individuals:

“Overall, it was a very successful tournament for us as a squad and for me individually. This was the first time I’ve played Pairs internationally so to win a medal was definitely a highlight. And we all learnt a lot to take into the next tournament too.”

And Louis Saunders – Britain’s youngest boccia player at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics – won Britain’s third silver in Veldhoven, in the Men’s BC4 Individuals:

“The event was so well run – it was just brilliant to be a part of it. And it was really great to get the silver. It’s my best result as an individual so far.”

Greg Baker – who is new into post as Boccia UK Performance Director – said:

“It’s been fantastic to see our up-and-coming players excel in Veldhoven. Robyn and Fiona have only been to a couple of international tournaments to date so this experience at World Boccia Challenger events is vitally important.

“It was also a good opportunity for more established players like Louis and Will to experience the knockout rounds and secure a medal and I’m sure it’s something that they will draw on in future events. In the future, I hope the Challenger events can also offer opportunities for more talented pathway athletes.”

Boccia UK has a busy couple of months ahead with Challenger events in Poznan, Poland later this month and Rome in September.

Boccia UK wins three medals at World Cup in Povoa

Boccia UK is looking ahead to the World Championships in December with an extra confidence boost after a successful weekend at the World Cup in Povoa, Portugal.

On the last day of competition, Britain won a gold medal in the BC1/2 Team event. Will Hipwell, David Smith OBE and Claire Taggart topped their group going into the knock out stages. They beat Hong Kong in the semi-final on tiebreak before overcoming Brazil 4-2 in the final.

It’s something that David Smith OBE – three times Paralympic gold medallist – has described as a career highlight:

Smith said:

“We came into 2022 with the aim of moving up the rankings, slowly improving to the top four. We were under no illusions what it was going to take. Povoa was to a stepping stone and we were aiming for a top eight finish.

“We decided we needed to focus on our consistency, shot after shot, which would enable us to be brave with our shots and decisions. I’m so proud of what we have achieved. It’s easily one of my career highlights.

“I hope that with a successful Boccia UK team, it inspires more Team competition at National level. We have a proud history of Team and Pairs success – let’s keep adding to it.”

It was the second gold medal for Larne Paralympian Claire Taggart. The Northern Ireland talent had cemented her position as one of the world’s strongest boccia players, winning her first-ever World Cup earlier in the week.

Unbeaten all week, she stormed through the individual pool matches with a 5-1 win over Ana Correia of Portugal and then she saw off Slovakia’s Kristina Kudlacova 9-3. Meeting Vivien Nagy at the quarter final stages, she forced the Hungarian out of the competition with an incredible 13-0 victory before eliminating China’s Hiu Lam Yeung 6-1. She faced Correia again in the final, a repeat of Taggart’s opening match. It went to 2-2 but Taggart won on tie-break.

Her success in Povoa will surely see her rise in the world rankings from her current no.3 position.

She said:

“I’m beyond delighted to win my first ever World Cup and to do it here in Portugal with my Dad and all my teammates is amazing. I’m just so proud of all the work I’ve put in and I’m so grateful for all the support my teammates, my coach Glynn (Tromans) and support staff have given me.”

Meanwhile, Will Hipwell was also in a buoyant mood:

“It was a brilliant performance by the team. Prior to the tournament, we said we wanted to be brave with our decision-making. Throughout the tournament, we all took on some really brave shots. Going into the final, I’d been struggling to find the pace and consistency required for my lay up shots. But during the final, I found that consistency level which helped us achieve the victory.

“To win the final was the most fantastic and happy feeling I’ve ever felt on a boccia court!”

The achievement is set to help lift the British BC1/2 Team’s world ranking ahead of the World Championships in Brazil in December.

Smith also earned a podium position in the individual stages, winning bronze in the individuals after being forced to play with just five balls instead of six. Despite passing the equipment check prior to competition, one ball was ruled to have exceeded regular size:

“To win the semi-final with five balls would have been spectacular but Witsanu Huadpradit is far too good to let me do that. Hopefully the variations in the new balls will reduce and we can settle down.

“I still managed to secure a top three finish and I’m pretty happy with how I played, considering all the issues.”

Claire Taggart wins first ever World Cup

Larne’s Claire Taggart today cemented her position as one of the world’s strongest boccia players, winning her first-ever World Cup.

Her success in Povoa, Portugal will surely see her rise in the world rankings from her current no.3 position.

Unbeaten all week, the Northern Ireland player stormed through the pool matches with a 5-1 win over Ana Correia of Portugal and then she saw off Slovakia’s Kristina Kudlacova 9-3. Meeting Vivien Nagy at the quarter final stages, she forced the Hungarian out of the competition with an incredible 13-0 victory before eliminating China’s Hiu Lam Yeung 6-1.

Claire Taggart with her gold medal from Povoa World Cup 2022

In today’s final, she faced Correia again, a repeat of Taggart’s opening match. It went to 2-2 but Taggart won on tie-break.

She said:

“I’m beyond delighted to win my first ever World Cup and to do it here in Portugal with my Dad and all my teammates is amazing. I’m just so proud of all the work I’ve put in and I’m so grateful for all the support my teammates, my coach Glynn (Tromans) and support staff have given me.”

Meanwhile, David Smith won a bronze medal after today beating Chagas de Oliveira. A place in the final, however, was earlier denied Eastleigh’s Paralympic gold medallist as he was forced to play with just five balls, instead of the usual six.

Despite Smith’s balls all passing the equipment check prior to competition, one exceeded regulation size by the time he reached the call-room.

He explained: “To win the semi-final with five balls would have been spectacular but Witsanu Huadpradit is far too good to let me do that. Hopefully the variations in the new balls will reduce and we can settle down.

“I still managed to secure a top three finish and I’m pretty happy with how I played, considering all the issues.”

David Smith roars to a bronze medal at the Povoa World Cup 2022

Meanwhile, the tournament in Povoa has seen the return to international competition of Hamilton’s Steph McGuire. In January, the 38-year-old broke his knee and femur and underwent major surgery.

McGuire ended up finishing 6th in the BC4 category, eventually eliminated by Tokyo 2020 Paralympic silver medallist Pornchok Larpyen of Thailand at the quarter final

“Finishing 6th here in Povoa is a massive win for me. I’ve had roughly 20 hours on court over the last six months. It’s back to rehabilitation now with renewed motivation.”

BC3 player Patrick Wilson of Edinburgh was similarly buoyant, competing in his first international event in three years. He escaped the pool matches unbeaten but was unable to get past the quarter final stages where he was defeated by the eventual gold medallist from Thailand.

There were also good performances by Cambridge’s Will Hipwell and Louis Saunders of Bognor Regis who both notched up wins on this highly competitive circuit. Scottish player Fiona Muirhead, who has been making her Great Britain debut at the Povoa tournament, also put in solid performances against legends of the game including two time Paralympic gold medallist Michaela Balcova of Slovakia.

Steph returns to international competition

 The Great Britain Boccia team is gearing up for their next World Cup which will see the return of European Champion Stephen McGuire to international competition.

In January, McGuire, 38, from Hamilton broke his knee and femur and underwent major surgery. He makes his return in Povoa in Portugal (3-11 July):

Steph at the European Championships in 2021 where he won individual gold

“I was told recovery would take three to five months so Povoa was always the target. There’s still some recovery to do but rehab has gone well and I’ve had so much support from the Boccia UK medical team as well as Scottish Institute of Sport staff.

“I’m extremely excited to be back on court – this has been the longest break from Boccia in my 17 years of playing and I’ve certainly missed it.”

Joining McGuire in the BC4 line up is Louis Saunders, 20, from Bognor Regis and Fiona Muirhead – who, like McGuire, is from South Lanarkshire. The Blantyre boccia star is coached by McGuire’s on court assistant and fiancé Michaela Rihackova:

“It really hasn’t sank in yet that I’ve been selected. To see my name on a list alongside Stephen, Claire Taggart and David Smith is really quite something.”

“I’ve played with Stephen regionally in training and I see him regularly when we’re with the Scotland squad. I’m looking forward to getting some training in with him ahead of the World Cup.

Eastleigh’s David Smith – who now lives in Swansea – will be aiming to continue his gold rush. The three times Paralympic gold medallist earned the top podium position at the World Cup in Rio in May. He will be joined by World number two Claire Taggart from Larne in Northern Ireland and Will Hipwell from Cambridgeshire in the BC1/2 Team event:

“It’s a tournament we go to every year and always feels like a home away from home. Rio was obviously really good for me individually but it was disappointing to not be able to compete as a team – but Claire’s back to full fitness now and we’re ready to go. It’ll be good to see where we’re at compared to opponents and it’s all little stepping stones towards the Worlds in December.”

In the BC3s, Belfast’s Robyn McBride is set to make her second World Cup appearance after making her debut in Rio last month. She will compete in the BC3 Pairs alongside Edinburgh’s Patrick Wilson. Dundonald’s Scott McCowan – who finished fourth at the Tokyo Paralympics – will be gunning for a spot on the podium in the individuals.

The Team:

BC1 David Smith (IND & Team)

BC2 Claire Taggart (IND & Team)

BC2 Will Hipwell (IND & Team)

BC3 Patrick Wilson (IND & Pairs)

BC3 Scott McCowan (IND)

BC3 Robyn McBride (IND & Pairs)

BC4 Stephen McGuire (IND & Pairs)

BC4 Louis Saunders (IND)

BC4 Fiona Muirhead (IND & Pairs)

Boccia talents shine at UK Challenger

The Boccia UK Challenger event in Gloucester saw Pathway players from across the home nations come together this weekend with World Class Performance athletes.

It was the sixth event in the Challenger series, hosted by Boccia UK, which has been designed to provide more competitive opportunities across the UK.

Northern Ireland’s Claire Taggart was certainly on good form, beating her team-mates David Smith OBE and Will Hipwell in a mixed event of BC1 and BC2 players.

The world number three is building towards a series of World Cups and then the World Championships in Brazil in December:

“I’m delighted to win. It’s always good to see the development of home nation athletes since the last time we met up with them too. Playing with and against David is always a challenge as we have a similar style of jack placements and it’s always a battle as to who will come out on top.”

BC1/2 winners

In the BC3 category, England’s Matt Berry took top honours with a convincing 8-0 victory over Raf Young. In the semi-finals, Young eliminated Scott McCowan, who finished fourth at the Tokyo Paralympics, beating him 4-2. Edinburgh’s Patrick Wilson – who competed at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games – finished third.

BC3 winners

And it was Penny Froude who finished BC4 Champion, winning all four of her matches and earning the coaches’ award from Claire Morrison.

Penny receives Claire Morrison’s coaching award

Claire said:

“I gave my coaches’ award to Penny because she has really grown in confidence in recent months – on and off the court. She did a really good job of bringing that confidence into her matches this weekend.”

Meanwhile, Glynn Tromans gave his coaches’ award to Cecilia Turk:

“Ce won three of her four BC3 games and won the battle of the female players, beating Sally Kidson on tiebreak and Robyn 3-1 in two very good matches.”

Boccia UK announces Greg Baker as new Performance Director

Boccia UK has today announced that Greg Baker will be the new Performance Director to lead the World Class Programme through to Paris and beyond.

 Baker will join from British Para Table Tennis where he has been in various performance roles since 2006 and has been Head Coach since March 2009, helping to secure 14 Paralympic medals at 3 Paralympic Games. Alongside this role, he is also an Elite Coach Development Mentor at the English Football Premier League and an Executive and Business Coach at Manchester Metropolitan University, working with delegates on the Masters in Sports Directorship Programme.

Greg Baker congratulates Paralympic table tennis player Rob Davies on winning gold in Rio

 Boccia UK Chair, David Richmond said; “We’re delighted that Greg will be our new Performance Director. His track record at maximising the potential of elite para-athletes speaks for itself and during the interview process, he impressed us with his vision on how his experience to date can translate into the Boccia PD role, helping us to become the leading Boccia nation. He has over 20 years of experience working in high performance sport and clearly, he has an excellent understanding of not just what it takes to succeed at a Paralympic Games but also the environment that needs to be created to ensure continued success. We look forward to welcoming him on board at the beginning of August.”

 Baker said; “I am absolutely delighted to take on the position as Performance Director for Boccia Uk. I have had an incredible 17 years involvement with British Para Table Tennis, assisting athletes and coaches to excel on the world stage, and although it will be extremely sad to leave behind a programme that has been a huge part of my life, I am very much excited by the opportunity to lead the Boccia World Class Programme and maximise the programme’s future potential. I will endeavour to use my insights and experiences in Paralympic Sport to help Boccia UK become the leading Boccia nation and to ensure performance sustainability across the World Class Programme towards Paris 2024 and beyond. I am really looking forward to working and collaborating with the athletes, coaches, practitioners and support staff as we head towards the World Championships in December and ultimately towards Paris 2024 in two years’ time.”

 Boccia UK has a proud track record at World Championships and the Paralympic Games, including winning gold medals at the Sydney 2000, Beijing 2008, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. There are currently eleven athletes on the World Class Programme.

Robyn and Reshad are off to Rio

 Two new faces will feature for Great Britain’s Boccia team at the World Cup in Rio next week.

Reshad Saraj and Robyn McBride are both set to make their British debut at the tournament which runs from 25 April to 3 May.

McBride, 23, is a BC3 player from Co Antrim, Northern Ireland. She can’t wait to compete:

“I first saw the sport of boccia at the age of 13 when the World Championships came to Jordanstown in Northern Ireland and myself and I had my photo taken with Nigel Murray. A seed was planted back then and later Disability Sport Northern Ireland came into our school and we would play different boccia games for fun.

Robyn McBride is Rio-bound with Boccia UK

“I can’t wait to put on the GB shirt and compete in my first international competition and playing with Jamie McCowan in the Pairs.” 

Meanwhile, Saraj, 30, from North London is a BC2 player and started playing after first discovering boccia when watching the 2008 Beijing Paralympics:

“It’s not always been an easy ride but I’m so proud of myself for sticking at it and my support team has been amazing. I’m so excited and really honoured to be selected. It’s a dream come true.”

Performance Director Helen Nicholls says:

“Robyn’s an athlete with an incredibly exciting future ahead, having spent the last 18 months working hard and being brilliantly supported in Northern Ireland by Disability Sport Northern Ireland and Terry Conroy. Robyn has the world at her feet in Boccia and has been a delight to welcome into the team.

“Reshad is an athlete with fantastic experience and skill and has been a regular on the domestic circuit for many years. He has the talent to win matches, he is resilient and tough and it is exciting to be able to give him the opportunity to go to a World Cup and experience elite level Boccia.

“There is no expectation on either athlete to deliver results. Elite sport and the World Class programme is all about giving people opportunities and watching them develop and fly.”

Reshad Saraj selected to represent Great Britain at Rio World Cup

Saraj and McBride will be joined by triple Paralympic gold medallist David Smith (Eastleigh/Swansea), World number two Claire Taggart (Larne, Northern Ireland), Jamie McCowan (Ayrshire, Scotland), Will Arnott (Reading) and Louis Saunders (Bognor Regis).

Boccia UK appoint two new independent non-executive directors

Boccia UK, the National Governing Body responsible for the World Class Programme (WCP) for the Paralympic sport of Boccia, announced today that it has appointed two new Independent Non-Executive Directors.

 Two positions were advertised, the first for a finance specialist to replace Abby Laybourne who will step down in June having completed two four-year terms and the second for a new position designed to ensure that there is elite athlete representation on the Board.

Andrew Maynard joins the Boccia UK board

 Andrew Maynard, who until recently was Head of Finance at UK Sport, and now works at Green Hydrogen company Protium, will take over from Laybourne after a handover period. Commenting on his appointment, Maynard said;

“I’m delighted to have been appointed to the Board of Boccia UK. While I have always had a passion for the Olympics and Paralympics, I gained a real appreciation of the dedication, talent and application required for success. through my time as Head of Finance at UK Sport. Boccia UK itself has been an exemplar of this at the Tokyo and Rio Paralympic Games, where success is represented not only through gold medals for David Smith but managing to send a full team to compete in incredibly difficult circumstances during the pandemic.  This role represents an opportunity to build on the fine work by Abby and the rest of the Board over the past eight years, and I can’t wait to get started.”

 The other position is believed to be the first of its kind among UK NGBs. Boccia UK Chair David Richmond explained the rationale for creating the role; “As a Board, we always aim to have the best interests of the Boccia athletes at the centre of our decision making. We have a close connection with the athletes on the WCP and ensure that we consult with them on all important matters, so this position isn’t about representing them per se. It is, in part, a recognition that none of the current Board has lived experience of being a high-performance athlete. This, coupled with a strong desire to play our part in helping the wider athlete cohort develop the skills needed to take on senior administrative positions within sport, led to our decision to create this role. We encouraged athletes who have competed at the highest level in either Olympic or Paralympic sport to apply and we believe that, by encouraging this diversity, our Board will be strengthened.”

 From a strong field, Charlie Hayter is the successful candidate for the Athlete Specialism role. Hayter, who has played professional club rugby as well as being part of the England 7s squad for the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and was travelling reserve at the 2016 Olympic Games, said; “I’m delighted to take on this role and use some of the experience that I have learned on what it takes to succeed in a high-performance environment. I’m looking forward to learning more about the sport of Boccia but I already know that the WCP athletes display the same drive and determination that I’m familiar with. I’m also looking forward to developing skills outside of my current role with the RFU.”

The RFU’s Charlie Hayter joins the Boccia UK board

 Chair David Richmond congratulated both candidates; “We were pleased that there was so much interest in both these roles and we’re delighted to welcome Andrew and Charlie to our Board. We offer our heartfelt thanks to Abby Layborne who has given so much to Boccia UK from the very beginning of our journey and leaves the NGB in fantastic shape from a finance and risk perspective. We are a small but very ambitious NGB, both in terms of our success on court and also how we operate off it. These new appointments will help us as we drive towards realising our vision of being the leading Boccia nation.”

 The two new Independent Non-Executive Directors will join the rest of the Boccia UK Board, along with two athletes from the WCP at a Strategy Day at the end of April.

Boccia UK is now leading the search for a new Performance Director.

Boccia UK is the national governing body of boccia, the world’s fastest growing Paralympic sport. It is responsible for identifying and nurturing the talents of the UK’s best boccia players, including three-times Paralympic gold medallist David Smith OBE.

The Performance Director is a crucial position and will steer the team to the World Championships in December and the fast approaching Paris Paralympics in 2024.

Boccia UK Chair David Richmond said: “We are looking for a dynamic individual that can drive Boccia forward at the very highest levels. With the World Championships at the end of the year and Paris now just two years away, we are entering a really exciting time for the sport.”

Closing date for applications is 22 April 2022.

To download a recruitment pack click here

Challenger UK events vital to healthy and vibrant pathway

The UK’s boccia pathway athletes have this week been rubbing shoulders with the British Paralympic team including gold medallist David Smith OBE and world no. two Claire Taggart.

Organised by Boccia UK and supported by the Get Kids Going charity, players from across the Home Nations have been competing in the second UK Challenger event. The UK Challengers are designed to help prepare and propel future boccia talent.

Thinking of the people and our Boccia friends in Ukraine.

Performance Director Helen Nicholls explains:

“The UK Challenger events are vital for a healthy and vibrant pathway. It is incredibly important that athletes, early in their careers, can see and be immersed in an environment that shows them where the benchmark is.

“The best way to achieve something is if you can 'see' it - if you can believe someone else can do it, so can you. Lining up on court alongside a World and Paralympic Champion in a sports hall in the UK is a real opportunity to test out where you are at. All the training hours - done in a sports hall, or alone at home - and repeating skills hours after hours all come alive when athletes have the chance to deliver those on court”, she added.”

Competing in three categories – BC1/2, BC3 and BC4 – the world class performance athletes proved their strength and topped the tables. Yet David Smith received a shock upset when he faced Reshad Saraj 6-5.

Coming off court, Saraj said:

“I’ve never played like that before; I felt in my zone. I’m very happy and relieved. After losing the first end 5-0, I thought that there was nothing to lose and I just went for it.”

Reshad Saraj wins coaching award from Claire Morrison (and an Easter Egg!)

Nicholls added:

“Boccia is a tactical and technical sport and anybody can win any game. We saw this with Reshad taking his chances and punishing David Smith for some loose shots. He played brilliantly and held his nerve. The steps to being successful internationally are taken in events like this, where athletes grasp opportunities to get a point off a World Class player. The lessons learnt in winning and in defeat are the steps that will close the gaps and help each and every athlete on their journey.

“Ultimately, whether that journey is to a Championships medal, a national title or simply being a better Boccia player when they leave the event than when they arrived, it's all about progress forwards.”

The winners of each classification were:

·       BC1/2 - Claire Taggart (1st), Will Hipwell (2nd) Top pathway: Reshad Saraj

·       BC3 – Jamie McCowan (1st), Will Arnott (2nd) Top pathway: Matthew Berry

·       BC4 - Louis Saunders, Top Pathway: Fiona Muirhead (2nd)

Special awards were also handed out:

 -     Coaches’ award by Glynn Tromans – Claire Taggart

·       Coaches’ award by Claire Morrison – Reshad Saraj

·       Performance Director’s award by Helen Nicholls – Fiona Muirhead

·       The Largs Plate for the overall winner – Louis Saunders

The Challenger event has been supported by funding from Get Kids Going, a national charity which gives disabled children and young people, up to the age of 26 years, the opportunity of participating in sport.

Boccia UK to recruit new independent directors

Boccia UK is set to strengthen its board with the appointment of two new independent directors.

Boccia UK is the national governing body of boccia, the world’s fastest growing Paralympic sport. It is responsible for identifying and nurturing the talents of the UK’s best boccia players, including three-times Paralympic gold medallist David Smith OBE.

Boccia (pronounced ‘bot-cha’) is a precision indoor ball game, similar to Bowls and Pétanque. The sport has been specifically designed to be inclusive of disabled people with players throwing, kicking or using a ramp to propel a ball onto the court with the aim of getting closest to a 'jack' ball.

As a sport specifically designed to be inclusive of players with the highest levels of support needs, it makes a particularly valuable contribution to disability sport provision in the UK and around the world.

Boccia UK Chair David Richmond explains:

 “The recruitment process has already begun, searching specifically for candidates with experience in finance and accounting as well as an individual who understands from an athlete perspective what it takes to deliver a successful world class programme.”

 “Both positions are voluntary and will play a vital role in the future of Boccia UK.  We are an ambitious governing body, eager to build on our achievements at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and the BISFed 2018 World Boccia Championships which we hosted in Liverpool. The successful candidates will join a highly experienced board and will help steer Boccia UK to continued future success.”

Applications close on 18 March. To find out more, please visit:

https://www.uksport.gov.uk/jobs-in-sport/Independent-Director-Finance-UKSP-40072

https://www.uksport.gov.uk/jobs-in-sport/Independent-Director-Athlete-specialism-UKSP-40074

Edwards and Moulam retire

Two-time Paralympian Evie Edwards has confirmed her retirement from the sport of boccia. She is joined by Beth Moulam – who competed in Tokyo – in calling time on their international careers.

Edwards has been in the World Class Programme since 2014. As part of the BC4 Pair, she competed at Rio 2016, securing a fourth place finish, and the delayed Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The 27-year-old from Ipswich has amassed four golds, five silvers and three bronzes medals at World and European level.

Boccia UK Performance Director Helen Nicholls said:

“Evie has wowed us over the past two Paralympic cycles with world class shots, often at the most crucial moments. She has always had the ability to change the entire course of a match. She has shown amazing resilience and toughness over the last few years and is well respected by the whole squad and will be hugely missed”

Evie at the 2018 World Championships in Boccia.

Edwards added:

“To compete at two Paralympics is something I’ll always be very proud of and I’ve made some really good friends along the way. I will never forget the atmosphere in Rio and having my Dad by my side as my assistant, experiencing it all! I will also always appreciate the competitions where I had family dressed up supporting me, and cheering louder than anybody else! These will always be the highlights of my time in the squad.

“I just want to thank everyone that has helped me including past and present coaches, family, friends as well as team mates and staff at Boccia UK.”

Edwards now looks ahead to giving back to the community as part of the Active Suffolk board and as a volunteer for ActivLives in Suffolk:

“My passion for disability sport runs deeper than just competing at international level and I hope I can inspire other people to enjoy disability sport as much as I do.”

Meanwhile, Beth Moulam is also retiring. She was invited onto the World Class Programme in 2020 and was selected for the delayed Tokyo 2020 Games.

She was just six years old when the now legendary Caroline Baird crossed the line at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games to win gold in the 400m. It was a moment that inspired a sporting dream in Beth.

Nicholls explains:

“Beth came into the squad on a rapid acceleration programme before the announcement that the Games would be postponed. Her commitment and ability to prepare to take to the court with the best in the world has been second to none..”

“My aim had always been Paris 2024,” explains Moulam. “So I was honoured to be selected for Tokyo 2020. For me, this demonstrates that dreams, determination, hard work and resilience can pay off. I’ll always be grateful to Boccia UK for believing in me. Stepping out onto the Tokyo field of play has undoubtedly been my best life moment to date.

Beth at the 2021 European Championships

Away from boccia, Moulam has achieved a 1st degree from the University of York in social policy. She is a keen public speaker and has presented all around the world since the age of 12 about Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Since Tokyo, she has been busy delivering workshops, training and mentoring:

“My lifelong passion is to empower people with communication impairments to fulfil their own communication and life potential,” adds Beth. “I’ll be taking with me so much of what I’ve learned through boccia as I work towards making this vision my new reality.”

Boccia UK now continues with plans to support new female players into the World Class Programme. Recent rule changes have been introduced to separate male and female individual events. It means that boccia now offers increased opportunities for female players.

Boccia UK say farewell to Performance Director Helen Nicholls

Boccia UK today announced that Performance Director Helen Nicholls will be leaving in April to take up a new position within British sport in the coming months.

Helen Nicolls to leave Boccia UK after four years as Performance Director

Nicholls joined Boccia UK in 2018 to oversee the World Class Programme. In that time, the team has won multiple medals at European level including a clean sweep of gold medals at the BISFed Regional Cup in Nymburg . A key highlight was David Smith OBE winning gold at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in an electrifying performance that captured the nation and raised the profile of Boccia.

Boccia UK Chair David Richmond commented; “Helen has been a fantastic Performance Director for Boccia. She has set very high standards for every aspect of the programme and has delivered this with energy, passion and a real warmth for all the athletes and staff.  She steered the sport through the many challenges presented by the pandemic superbly. We are all very sad to see her depart and wish her all the very best for her new role. We are starting the recruitment process for her successor immediately. Thanks to all her hard work and leadership, she leaves the sport in very good shape and raring to go for Paris.”

Nicholls reflected; “My time with the Boccia over the past four years has been hugely rewarding and, globally, Paralympic sport has evolved enormously over the past cycle. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to serve the athletes and staff of this incredible, important and demanding sport. Seeing David Smith MBE become one of the greatest Paralympic athletes ever in Tokyo was hugely inspiring for both myself and the whole team and demonstrated everything that elite sport should be. I would like to convey my deepest appreciation to all at Boccia UK for their commitment, support and drive to be the best every single day and I am sure that the team will go on to thrive and prosper as we move towards Paris.”

Boccia - the ultimate mind game?

Just like any other sportsperson at the top of their game, our Boccia UK athletes are supported by a team of professionals. And anyone tuning into Channel 4 to watch David Smith win gold at the Tokyo Paralympics would understand that psychology is key to our success.

We sat down with Andrew Evans – Boccia UK’s Performance Psychologist from the English Institute of Sport – to find out more about what makes a great boccia player.

 Boccia is a psychologically demanding sport. Players must be able to make effective decisions, focus their attention, and execute their shots under pressure.

Since February 2020, I have worked with players, assistants and staff at Boccia UK to provide performance psychology and mental health support. There has been a real appetite amongst the squad to develop and consolidate their psychological knowledge, skills and abilities for wellbeing and performance.

We have had some superb performances in the last 12 months. Scott McCowan finished fourth in the individual BC3 competition after producing a string of excellent performances while David Smith of course won gold in the individual BC1 competition and, in doing so, became the most successful Boccia player from the UK.

Psychologically, there are many things that makes David Smith a world-class Boccia player. First and foremost, he loves competing. David also gets a real kick out of being able to see and then execute shots that others cannot.

What I find most impressive about David is his ability to completely change the flow of a match. His utter conviction and mastery over what he is doing on court allows him to deliver shots when they matter most.

Our calendar of major events is usually well spaced out but the impact of Covid meant that following the Tokyo Paralympic Games we were straight into the European Championships in Seville in November. We were delighted to return with two golds from David and Stephen McGuire as well as a silver from Claire Taggart.

Claire and Stephen are hugely talented and brilliant role models for any aspiring Boccia player. They are committed to their craft and care immensely about the development of those around them. Both players are considered in their approach, thoughtful and analytical; qualities that apply to a variety of situations within Boccia.

As well as playing individually, we also have Team and Pairs events and the squad really progressed throughout the Tokyo Paralympic cycle. Each team has developed their communication, increased their understanding of themselves and each other, and formulated very clear modes of thinking and behaviour.

Players, staff, and assistants have been an absolute credit to themselves and the World Class Programme. This time last year we were still in lockdown. We have had players shielding for prolonged periods of time, no international competitions and a reduced amount of World Class Programme Camps. Players trained alone - in their front rooms, in village halls and in barns.

Despite the impact of COVID on training and competition, there was a real sense amongst players and staff that the squad was in the best position it has ever been ahead of the Tokyo Paralympic Games. This is a real testament to not only players, but assistants and staff who have worked tirelessly in their support of players and each other. Boccia UK is in a healthy position, and we all look forward to progressing further within the next Paralympic cycle, towards Paris 2024.

Winners of Boccia UK named

David Smith OBE was today honoured at the Boccia UK awards for Excellence after he brilliantly claimed gold at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. In the online ceremony, Smith said:

“Tokyo feels like a long time ago now but it was the perfect Games for me. The support I had from the squad – the staff and the athletes – totally made my experience. Everyone in the team had an impact on me and I could feel you over my shoulder when I was playing and being able to play, full throttle, with no fear was incredible. It’s got me really excited for the future.”

There were also winners in four other categories, all voted for by athletes and support staff.

Boccia UK’s Performance Psychologist Andrew Evans won the Teamwork category for his work in bringing teams and squads together.

Coach Glynn Tromans was named winner for Commitment for his unswerving dedication to his athletes.

Meanwhile, squad newcomer Will Arnott won the Passion award and Performance Analyst Anna Knowles received the most votes in the Fun category.

Performance Director Helen Nicholls reflected on the previous 12 months:

“2021 was a year of adversity. As an athlete, 90% of your days are not on a podium. But they are about being strong and resilient to whatever comes your way. I’m really proud of the whole squad and we look forward to 2022.”

Claire in leading role of UK Sport female coach programme

The second edition of UK Sport’s ground-breaking female coaches leadership programme starts today and Boccia UK’s Claire Morrison takes a leading role. It forms part of a plan by UK Sport to more than double female representation in the Olympic and Paralympic high-performance community in the three years from Tokyo to Paris.

A new set of 24 promising female coaches from across 17 sports will work with a highly respected group of five coach leaders.

Morrison – along with Tracy Whittaker-Smith (Trampolining, British Gymnastics) - will reprise their roles as coach leaders while former GB and England Hockey coach Karen Brown will once again act as a mentor to the 24 coaches.

The programme is designed to help some of the brightest female coaching talent from across sport to hone their skills. It also plays a critical role in demonstrating that coaching on the Olympic and Paralympic stage is a viable career for women. The new set of 24 coaches have been identified as having the potential to coach at the summer and winter Olympic and Paralympic Games from Paris 2024 and Milan-Cortina 2026 and beyond.

Claire Morrison, Performance Coach at Boccia UK, said: “I am delighted to be involved in the UK Sport female coaches leadership programme once again. The quality of coaches involved in the first cohort was superb and I have no doubts that this next group will continue to raise the standards.

“This is such an important programme to help raise the profile and opportunity for female coaches across our sporting landscape. The opportunity a programme like this gives coaches to challenge themselves and each other, and to build a network of people and experiences, is so valuable in supporting them through their coaching journey towards Paris and beyond. We may all operate in our own sports and environments but ultimately we are one community and that community is growing which is really exciting.”

Each coach will be offered support and development opportunities, including observing their assigned coach leader in their environment, exploring three fundamental topics to career development – namely leadership, environment and transition – as well as continuously engaging in discussion and debate to consolidate their learning.

Sally Munday, CEO at UK Sport, said: “After the success our inaugural female coaches leadership programme in 2021, I am delighted to welcome another strong cohort of hugely promising and talented coaches as it returns for another year. 

“UK Sport is committed to powering a diverse and inclusive Olympic and Paralympic high-performance community. This programme forms an integral part of our ambition to grow our thriving sporting system and deliver against our ambition to see far more women coaching at the pinnacle of their sports.

 “The fact that coaches from last year’s programme went on to coach at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, and that two of them are now leaders for the 2022 cohort, shows what a beneficial learning opportunity this is. The programme for this next cohort of 24 coaches is really exciting and I wish them all the very best.”

Two golds and a silver in the individuals at European Championships

Britain’s David Smith and Steph McGuire today both won gold in the individual competition at the European Championships in Seville while Claire Taggart grabbed silver.

Defending champion David Smith (Swansea / Eastleigh) faced old rival Russia's Mikhail Gutnik and fought to a 5-2 victory after dismissing Andre Ramos of Portugal 8-1 in the semi-final:

“I’m ecstatic to retain my title from five years ago – ironically enough, the same final against Mikhail. It’s been a really tournament with a really high standard and my competitors have pushed me all the way. I’m looking forward to getting my teeth stuck into the Team event and see if we can get some more bling!”

Steph McGuire (Hamilton, Scotland) was overjoyed to become European Champion, after he last won the title in 2017. He stormed to a 4-3 victory over Radek Prochazka from the Czech Republic. Earlier in the day, he beat Arten Kolinko from the Ukraine 4-2:

“This is my fourth gold medal at the European Championships – the first was 12 years ago - and it is a dream come true. To still  reach the top pf the podium is a testament to the support around me.

“The Pairs event starts tomorrow and Evie Edwards and I are relishing the challenge. We achieved silver last time and would love to get among the medals again this year.”

And it was silver for world number two Claire Taggart (Larne, Northern Ireland). The Northern Ireland player has had a terrific tournament and led the final of the BC2 women’s individuals for most of the match. Going into the third end 4-0 up,  Portuguese player Christina Goncalves took the game long to maximise points – a strategy that ultimately paid off and saw her win 5-4.

Taggart said:

“It feels amazing to have been part of the first European Championships with separate male and female classifications. To come away with a silver medal is a bonus and puts me on track for the World Championships in December next year.”

She had earlier sent Nagy Vivien of Hungary packing after a 6-1 semi-final victory.

Meanwhile Beth Moulam (York) was unable to claim bronze, losing 3-4 to the experienced Anna Ntenta of Greece. Earlier in the day, her hopes of a place in the final were ended when she lost  3-4 to Germany’s Nancy Poser:

“I was delighted to be playing for medals but disappointed to miss out on a place on the podium.”

The British squad now look forward to the Teams and Pairs event which start tomorrow.

Results are here Event | BCMS (worldboccia.io)

Taggart storms into semi-finals

Northern Ireland’s Claire Taggart has stormed into the semi-finals at the World Boccia European Championships in Seville while a further two players from the British squad guaranteed a place in the quarter finals.

The World number two from Larne has annihilated the competition in the individual pool matches. She beat Chantal Van Engelen of the Netherlands 7-1, then sent Greece’s Dionysia Tsakiri packing 6-1 and saw off Slovakia’s Kristina Kudlacova 8-0:

“I’m delighted to win my third match of the group and progress through to the semi-finals. I’ve been working hard since Tokyo and it’s paid off,” said Taggart.

She will now play in the first-ever female only European Championship semi-final as the rules recently changed, which opens more medal opportunities for female boccia players.

In the BC3s, Scott McCowan and Will Arnott will tomorrow battle it out for a place in the quarter finals. McCowan – who finished fourth at the Tokyo Paralympics - took a 7-1 victory over Alejandro Morillas Parra of Spain and subsequently lost on tie-break to Italy’s Mirco Garavaglia. However, he still tops the group.

Arnott – who makes his championship debut for Boccia UK in Seville – controlled his opening game to a 7-1 win over Germany’s Thomas Knoth. He today held his own against World Champion Grigorios Polychronidis, losing 4-3.

Meanwhile, Beth Moulam is safely through to the quarter finals. Despite losing her opener to tournament favourite Sonia Heckel of France 4-1, she today put on a strong 6-0 display against Norway’s Elisabeth Wilhelmsen.

Steph McGuire and David Smith play their final pool matches but Boccia UK Performance Director Helen Nicholls says that both are in a strong position to escape the pool stages:

“Steph and David are highly experienced players and we expect them to come through strongly tomorrow. Some of the groups here are small and it’s a real skill to escape the pool stages. Losing one match can put you in a very difficult position but that’s what we train for and that’s elite sport.”

McGuire has already won his first two matches and currently tops the group. He triumphed over the Czech Republic’s Ondrej Kaas 9-1 and then followed up with a 3-1 win over Andrii Okulov of the Ukraine. He is now set to face Portugal’s Manuel Cruz.

There was a surprise upset for top seed and Paralympic Champion David Smith in his opening match. Facing the newly reclassified Nikolas Anozov of Russia, Britain’s best-ever boccia player lost 3-6. He plays tomorrow and needs to win in order to progress further. He is drawn against Croatia’s Martin Frkovic.

Will Hipwell missed to escape the pool matches on a one point difference on countback to Russia’s Dmitry Kozmin. It followed a 4-1 victory over Marco Dekker of the Netherlands:

“I’m disappointed I wasn’t able to capitalise on the momentum from winning yesterday. However, I have taken a lot of good learning points from the game which I will use to improve in future tournaments.”

He is now looking ahead to the Team and Pairs event which start on Monday.

Future of boccia is in great shape

As the Boccia UK Challenger event draws to a close, Performance Director Helen Nicholls says the future of the sport is in great shape.

The Challenger event has been held over three days in Largs, Scotland and has seen Pathway players from across the Home Nations compete alongside World Class Programme athletes. The event has been designed to help prepare and propel future boccia talent.

Helen explained:

“It has been a delight this week to spend time with our up-and-coming athletes. We haven’t been able to see anyone outside of the GB squad over the last two years because of Covid. It’s been fantastic to see a vibrant and progressive boccia pathway in action.

“What I’ve seen this week certainly augurs well for the future of the sport within the UK. Elite sport is about winning but, most of the time, it’s actually about learning and becoming the best player you can be. This week has been about leaving the court with skills and tactics you didn’t start with.”

The winners of each classification were:

·       BC1 - David Smith (1st), Jabe Peake (2nd)

·       BC2 - Claire Taggart (1st), Lewis McConnell (2nd)

·       BC3 - Patrick Wilson (1st), Robyn McBride (2nd)

·       BC4 - Louis Saunders, Tyler McLelland (2nd)

Special awards were also handed out:

·       Highest placed Pathway athlete – Robyn McBride (Northern Ireland)

·       Coaches’ award by Glynn Tromans – Lee Maddison (England)

·       Coaches’ award by Claire Morrison – Paul McIntrye Scotland)

·       Performance Director’s award by Helen Nicholls – Robyn McBride (Northern Ireland)

·       The Largs Plate for the overall winner – Louis Saunders (World Class Performance programme)

Coaching awards were awarded to Lee and Paul for demonstrating an ability to engage in coaching and apply feedback in matches while Robyn received the Performance Director’s award and the award for the highest placed Pathway athlete:

“We were delighted to welcome back Robyn after seeing her at one of our Challenger events a couple of years ago. The progress she has made since then has really paid off. She is committed to being the best boccia player she can be and thoroughly deserved this award,” added Helen.

Robyn McBride wins Performance Director’s Award and Highest Placed Pathway Athlete.

Finally, Louis Saunders – the youngest member of the Great Britain boccia team in Tokyo – was named the overall winner across all classifications:

“Louis was one of three athletes in the squad in Tokyo who had never been to a Paralympics before. That experience is always a learning curve and a challenge. I’ve been really impressed by Louis’ attitude – he has returned from the Games and is embedding changes to his game. He continues to learn and grow as an athlete.”

The Challenger event has been supported by funding from Get Kids Going, a national charity which gives disabled children and young people, up to the age of 26 years, the opportunity of participating in sport.

Taggart relishes European challenge

British boccia stars are back in training and gearing up for next month’s European Championships which take place in Seville from 22 November to 1 December.

It will be the first outing for the squad - which includes triple Paralympic gold medallist David Smith MBE - since Tokyo and players will want to measure up to their medal tally from 2019 when every British athlete earned a place on the podium.

It will also be one of the first competitions to launch separate events for men and women. Until now, boccia has been one of the only sports where men and women competed together.

Paralympian Claire Taggart is excited by the prospect:

“It presents a new opportunity and challenge for female athletes which I plan to grab with both hands. Hopefully it will encourage lots of women and girls to get involved in boccia. The Europeans is a huge competition. I’m looking forward to competing again as I wasn’t happy with my performances in Tokyo. I’ve had a long break to recover and reset and am now back on court and in the gym.”

In 2019, the player from Northern Ireland secured BC2 Individual silver and won bronze in the BC1/2 Team with David Smith and Will Hipwell.

Claire Taggart at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

The GB line-up for Seville remains largely unchanged from that of Tokyo. However, Will Arnott from Reading has received a call-up and he will join Beth Moulam (York) and Scott McCowan (Dundonald, Ayrshire) in the BC3s.

The 22-year-old is a relative newcomer to the Boccia UK World Class programme, having joined it during lockdown:

“This is the first major event for me representing GB and it’s a good opportunity to show what I can do. Competition will be fierce in the BC3s – within Europe, we have the silver medallist from Tokyo. All of us British BC3s are playing well at the moment so we are capable of winning a medal.”

Will Arnott will be in action in Seville. @GettyImages

Of course, all eyes will be on David Smith MBE who has been enjoying homecoming celebrations as well as visits to clubs and schools since his return from Japan:

“It’s a bit strange being back in training after all the emotion of Tokyo. However, it’s exciting that  we only have three years until the Paris Paralympics and, having spent two years without any competition, it seems reasonable to have two majors in quick succession.”

It is also worth keeping an eye on Scott McCowan. The 30-year-old Scotsman just missed out on a place in the final at the Tokyo Paralympics and finished fourth:

“I’m feeling good. It was my best ever performance in Tokyo so I’m full of confidence going into the Europeans. This year is unusual in the sense that we have a major championship so soon after the Paralympics but I’m just hoping to maintain my level that I’ve been playing at since the lockdown ended.”