Boccia Champions compete in Sheffield
Over 110 players competed in the DSE Open Boccia Championships which took place in Sheffield over the weekend.
Boccia is also a Paralympic sport and likened to French boules. This event helps to develop more British champions and Boccia has fast become one of the most played sports for disabled people. The Boccia players at this event come from all over the country. Players have a range of impairments and compete in the set classes.
Winners from the weekend were: David Hill (BC1), Joshua Rowe (BC2), Karl Parrish (BC3), Kieran Steer (BC4), Katy Booth (BG5), Chelsea Williams (BG6), Ben Laidler (BG7) and Adam Bloor (BG8).
The winning team were the North West, closely followed jointly by Scotland and the South East.
The weekend of competition also included the National Boccia Final for visually impaired players. The game is played using a tactile grid and is a relatively new concept in the evolution of Boccia. Ben Laidler from the North West won the closely fought competition, with Natasha Floyd from the East Midlands coming in second place.
Ben said:
“I never expected to win, I just can’t believe it! I’m ecstatic.”
Other partners assisting the championships are Water Direct, the Sheffield City Council's Major Sports Events Unit and Rothschild. The event is run in partnership with Boccia England.