Interview with Boccia Athlete David Smith
Q Your name?
A My name is David Smith.
Q And your sport?
A And my sport, Boccia.
Q How did you get into Boccia?
A It started about 6 years ago when I was at my school, secondary school, in a PE lesson because I was at a specialist school. They were doing Boccia and I just started playing and have been playing ever since really.
Q What do you enjoy most about it?
A I like the fact that not many people know about it and that its up and coming, and I can be part of something growing.
Q What does a typical day in your sport involve?
A A typical day, in competition, is when you get up, maybe go down, walk down to the venue, probably play your game, drink as much as possible, watch other players, possibly support your team mates and try and relax so far and enjoy the environment you are in.
Q How do you relax when you are not training or competing?
A I tend to listen to music, I also don’t mind playing on the old computer games now and again or watching TV.
Claygate team wins annual boccia tournament
A team from Claygate’s centre for the community recently won the Mayor of Elmbridge’s annual boccia tournament, which took place at the Thames Ditton centre for the community in Mercer Close.
via Elmbridge Today – Claygate team wins annual boccia tournament.
South Korea promises “strongest action” against Boccia coach accused of abuse
South Korea’s Chef de Mission at the London 2012 Paralympics has promised that allegations of abuse made by the country’s boccia captain against a coach will be fully investigated after a disciplinary committee was set-up following further claims of violence against members of the team.
It has been revealed that 31-year-old Ji Kwang-min (pictured) was the South Korean who had made an official complaint against Kim Jin-han, who he alleged abused him during London 2012, including hitting him on the head with a light stand.
The family of Ji, who has cerebral palsy, also claimed that 42-year-old Kim had beaten him regularly since 2010 and had stolen up 1 million won (£550/$900/€700) at a time from him on several occasions.
Boccia player subject to violence by his coach?
Last week, Ji Kwang-min, captain of the national Boccia team, alleged Kim Jin-han abused him during the Paralympics as well as before the event, saying the coach also took money from him for training sessions.
Jang said the degree of violence may not have been extreme as Ji and Kim have known each other as teacher and student since the Boccia player was in high school, but it still cannot be tolerated, noting the pair looked friendly in London.
Boccia Australia highlight a GB Boccia player
Paralympian Jess Hunter from Great Britain came into the Channel 4 News studio to give a boccia demonstration. Presenter Jon Snow and Sports Reporter Keme Znzerem also have a go!
via Boccia Australia.
Disability won’t stop Boccia player following his dream
Mikey, as his friends know him, goes surfing in Lahinch, produces a radio programme, studies in Mary I, started a poetry group in Enable Ireland in Mungret, plays Boccia, is on Bridge Celtic’s AFC committee, loves to travel and is planning a mountain biking trip.
Last weekend he was a guest of President Michael D Higgins at a Being Young and Irish Workshop in Cork.
“My disability doesn’t stop what I do. I try and be as independent as I can be and education is a top priority.
“My motto is ‘I can and I will’ and no matter who you are or what your
via Disability won’t stop Limerick man following his dream – Community News – Limerick Leader.
Boccia: A Hidden Gem
Before the London 2012 Paralympic Games, I knew little of the sport boccia (pronounced bo-ch-a). I hadn’t heard of Great Britain captain Nigel Murray, twice a gold medal winner in the sport, nor of his Beijing team mates Dan Bentley, Zoe Robinson and David Smith, all international class players.
However, after a week watching the sport at ExCeL, a giant exhibition centre in the heart of the London docklands, I had discovered an absolute gem of a sport, one packed with tension and excitement, where a match can be won or lost by millimetres.
On the face of it, boccia is crown green bowls, with competitors in wheelchairs throwing or kicking their balls as close to a jack as possible on a 12.5 x 6 metre flat, smooth hard-court. Only there’s so much more to it than that.
To begin with, competitors are all disabled and split into four classifications. BC1, BC2 and BC3 classifications are for athletes with cerebral palsy, whilst BC4 is for competitors with motor skills disabilities affecting their movement.
Hoping to use Paralympic experience to support Boccia
THE woman behind the new parallel sports club in Wincanton hopes to use her experience as an inspiration for disabled youngsters.
Amy Coombes, 23, recently returned from the trip of a lifetime after being a technical adviser in Boccia at the Paralympic Games.
The selfless volunteer has now set her sights on making the parallel sports club, to be launched at Wincanton Sports Ground next month, a hub for future Paralympians.
Miss Coombes became interested in disabled sports while studying sports education and coaching at the University of Gloucestershire.
It was there that she was first introduced to Boccia and after undertaking regional and national referees courses in the sport, she started working with Boccia England.
Her enthusiasm led her to be eventually fast-tracked to be a technical adviser at the Paralympics.
She said: “The people I have met through Boccia are a great bunch of people and the athletes all work hard to achieve their greatest potential, many with very severe disabilities.
“The camaraderie is fantastic and I consider it a privilege to be able to work with these outstanding athletes.
“I feel very honoured and privileged to have been part of Boccia at the Paralympics. The athletes were exceptional and all worked so hard to achieve their best.
“It is wonderful to see the determination they have to overcome their disabilities and to achieve their best. I would not have missed it for the world.”
via Hoping to use Paralympic experience as an inspiration | This is Somerset.
Boccia heroes receive cash rewards
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has welcomed home the paralympic athletes and presented them with bonuses in cash.
A grand reception was held to welcome the Thai paralympic team, who bagged the country four gold, two silver, and two bronze medals from the London 2012 Paralympics.
The premier presented the rewards to the athletes. Those who won the gold received six million baht each, silver winners got four million, and bronze medalists received 2 million baht.
Four gold medals belonged to the boccia team, who won in both the team and the single categories, a table tennis player, and a wheelchair fencer. The wheelchair racing team brought home two silvers and two bronzes.
Interview with Boccia Athlete Peter McGuire
His Sport: Boccia
Born: 24/10/82
Lives: Hamilton, Scotland
Peter got into Boccia through his younger brother Stephen, who is also part of the GB squad. The brothers play against each other in the individual competitions but team up for the pair events. At his first major international championships – the 2006 World Championships – he came 7th in the pairs and 9th in the individual competition.
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