Four Argentinian Boccia athletes head to Rio
Via Paradeportes
The Argentina Selection boccia already has four athletes who will represent us at the Paralympic Games in Rio: Mauricio Ibarbure (BC1), Sebastian Gonzalez, Luis Cristaldo and Maria Esther Sahonero (BC2). “I chose a functional team that has players who are physically well profiled in this category, with plenty of power and, above all, accurate , ” said Paul IOCCA, the national coach.
“The goal of minimum Argentina is passing the knockout stage and reach the semifinal , ” said IOCCA, who took the concentration of the national team in the Cenard to adjust details.
Boccia (4) : Mauricio Ibarguren, Sebastián González, Luis Cristaldo and Mary Esthe Sahonero.
Via Paradeportes
Boccia venue for Rio 2016 unveiled
Via the International Paralympic Committee
Brazilian boccia star Maciel Santos hailed the new venue for Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, as it was unveiled on Saturday (14 May).
“For me the Paralympic Games start now,” the London 2012 gold medallist said during the inauguration of the venue.
Carioca Arena 2, which will also stage judo and wrestling during the Olympic Games, was unveiled in the Barra Olympic Park. Santos, who won gold in the individual BC2 category in London, and will compete at the new arena in September, has already started to envisage stepping out in front of a home crowd.
“You see yourself, the court, the crowd, your relatives, the Brazilian fans. It will be like how we saw in London. I hope the Brazilian public really gets behind this Paralympic sport,” he said.
Brazilian Olympic champion Sarah Menezes was also excited by the opening of the new arena.
“To see everything ready like this is even more motivation. It’s a sign that it’s nearly here, it’s close,” said the gold medallist in the up to 48kg class at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. “It’s good to know that everything is on track, that the structural things are being sorted.”
The keys to the new venue were handed over from Rio mayor Eduardo Paes to Rio 2016 President Carlos Nuzman. Also present was Christope Dubi, the International Olympic Committee’s sports director, and Brazil’s new sports minister Leonardo Picciani, on his first official engagement.
Dubi was full of praise for the new venue, saying: “When you see an arena like this, everyone [involved] should be proud and I hope they are.”
After the Games, Carioca Arena 2 will become a training facility for weightlifting, wrestling, badminton, fencing, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline gymnastics and table tennis. It will comprise part of the Olympic Training Centre, the main sporting legacy of the Rio 2016 Games.
Countdown to 2015 Parapan Am Games in Whitby
Boccia at the Parapan Am Games • Made its official Paralympic Games debut in 1992 in Barcelona. • This sport is strategically similar to lawn bowling. • Open to athletes with severe locomotor disabilities of a cerebral or non-cerebral origin, including individuals with cerebral palsy, stroke, traumatic brain injury, high-level spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, ALS and arthrogryposis. • Objective is to throw, kick or use an assistive device to propel leather balls as close as possible to a white target ball on a long, narrow field of play. • Canada led all nations with five boccia medals at the 2011 Parapan Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Central American Para Games open today
The Central American Para Games are due to open in the Costa Rican capital of San José today as 250 athletes from six countries get ready to compete for medals in five sports.
Athletes from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and host nation Costa Rica will go head-to-head in athletics, goalball, powerlifting, swimming and wheelchair basketball.
Athletics events will take place at Costa Rica’s recently completed National Stadium; the $100 million (£65 million/€75 million) 35,000-capacity stadium in La Sabana Metropolitan Park, which was gifted to the nation by the Chinese Government.
The National Gymnasium will host basketball, boccia, powerlifting and goalball, as the María del Milagro Paris pool will stage swimming events.
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