(Ottawa, April 15, 2007) Members of the Canadian boccia team concluded a successful trip to Brno, Czech Republic, where they participated in the 2nd Open Czech Boccia Tournament. Canada won a gold medal in the BC1/BC2 team category and a bronze medal in the BC4 pair category.
Adam Dukovich, of Mississauga, ON, Tammy McLeod, of London, ON and Hanif Mawji, of Vancouver, BC, Francine Desrochers, of Montreal, QC and Brock Richardson, of Brampton, ON; defeated team Brno, 14-1 in the final to grab the gold medal. “It was a very good trip. We had good team spirit and I think the players worked on their chemistry”, said head coach Mario Delisle. “Our most experienced player, Tammy McLeod, showed a tremendous amount of leadership on the court and the team gained a lot of confidence for next months’ World Cup in Vancouver”.
“The two new players responded well to the pressure”, said assistant coach, Monique Camirand. “Brock, who is the youngest player on the team, was able to score his first point on the international scene. Francine is also a good addition to the team. She demonstrated a lot of poise throughout the tournament”. Earlier in the day, the Canadians won 7-1 against Czech Republic in the semi-final.
In the BC4 category, Josh Vander Vies of Sarnia, ON and Jonathan Poulin of Montreal, QC had to settle for bronze. In their last game of the tournament, they faced Hungary, who is ranked second in the world. They went into the last end with a 2-1 lead, but then conceded 3 points to let the victory slip away. “After a slow start, we came back strong and played a strong game against Hungary”, said Vander Vies. “We now have a big challenge in front of us but I like our chances for a great performance at the World Cup”.
Boccia is a Paralympic sport open to athletes with cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, stroke or similar non-progressive conditions. All competitors compete in wheelchairs and some are permitted to use assistive devices (usually a ramp or chute to aid in throwing the ball). Only athletes with a severe disability are eligible to compete in boccia
The Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (CCPSA) is an athlete focused national organization administering and governing sport opportunities targeted to athletes with CP and related disabilities. CCPSA and its provincial partners cooperate as a proactive force to facilitate the development of equitable and fair sporting opportunities for our athletes.
