The Canadian Boccia Team were in Wigan, England this week-end to participate in the Cheshire Building Society International Boccia Championships, the final tune-up prior the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games which will be held September 6 – 17. Both the BC3 Pair and the BC1/BC2 Team finished in fourth place.
The long hours of travelling and intense schedule finally caught up with the Canadians: “It was more difficult today for the National Team”, said national team head coach, Mario Delisle. “All the top teams qualified for the medal rounds and the level of energy of our athletes was lacking. But we learned a lot this week and we will be able to make the last adjustments a few weeks before the Games”.
In the BC3 Pair category, Paul Gauthier and Monica Martino, of Vancouver, BC and Alison Kabush of Surrey, BC, lost 10-3 againt Spain and could not beat Great-Britain in the bronze medal game. In the BC1/BC2 Team Event, Adam Dukovich and Tammy McLeod, both of London, ON, Brock Richardson, of Brampton, ON and Hanif Mawji, of Burnaby, BC were not able to repeat their good performance of yesterday losing 11-0 against Great-Britain. They were also overmatched in the bronze medal game losing 8-3 against Portugal.
Jonathan Poulin, of Laval, QC and Josh Vander Vies, of London, ON, who have not qualified for the Paralympic Games in the BC4 Pair category, finished 5th.
