Boccia Canada Announces 2025 National Team Roster
Teammates returning include Danik Allard, Lance Cryderman, and Kristyn Collins (pictured left to right) who have competed alongside each other for years (Photo Credit: Canadian Paralympic Committee)
Ottawa, ON (December 18, 2024) – Boccia Canada is proud to announce the athletes selected to the 2025 National Boccia Team. As the first roster of the new Paralympic cycle, this team reflects Canada’s strong legacy in boccia with many seasoned athletes returning to continue their pursuit of excellence on the international stage.
The 2025 roster features a host of familiar names—many of whom have represented Canada for over a decade, earning accolades and inspiring the nation. Their wealth of experience, combined with an unrelenting drive for success, positions Canada for another exciting quadrennial with much to look forward to ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games.
2025 NATIONAL BOCCIA TEAM ROSTER
BC1:
• Men’s: Lance Cryderman (Val Caron, ON)
BC2:
• Men’s: Danik Allard (Bois-des-Filion, QC)
• Men’s: Olivier Roy (Québec City, QC)
• Women’s: Kristyn Collins (St. John’s, NL)
BC3:
• Men’s: Alexandre Lemaire (Kingsey Falls, QC)
BC4:
• Women’s: Alison Levine (Montréal, QC)
• Men’s: Iulian Ciobanu (Montréal, QC)
• Men’s: Marco Dispaltro (Montréal, QC)
Note: Pictures of the full team here.
“We are thrilled to have such a talented and dedicated group of athletes representing Canada in 2025,” said Mario Delisle, High Performance Director, Boccia Canada. “Their passion for the sport, combined with the support of an exceptional coaching and support staff, makes us confident in our ability to build on our recent successes and continue to compete at the highest level internationally.”
“It doesn’t surprise me to see so many familiar faces because this team is built on years of dedication, hard work, and resilience,” says BC4 athlete Marco Dispaltro, who’s been with the National Team since 2010. “These athletes have experienced both the highs and lows of competition, and that level of maturity is invaluable when the pressure is on. There are also athletes who are emerging, and some who are reemerging, who have come tantalizingly close to reaching the podium and are hungry to take that next step. I’ve watched young athletes like Alexandre Lemaire rise through the ranks, growing from the grassroots level to earning their place on Team Canada. Seeing them step onto the team as peers is an incredibly proud moment, not just for me, but for the entire program. It’s a testament to the growth and strength of our sport.”
“I’m very happy to be part of the national team for the second year running because I always want to keep improving in my sport,” says Lemaire. “This year I hope to win my first individual medal with the national team and reach the top 30. I’ve come a long way in my career, but I’m far from having achieved everything I set out to do.”
With the 2025 competitive calendar already announced, the team will start training in the new year for upcoming competitions that will provide new opportunities for further skill development and podium performances. The Espoir Team and two additional National Team Members will be announced in January 2025, along with performance partners and ramp operators.
For more information about the National Team visit their profiles updated frequently on the Boccia Canada website here. You can also follow us on social media at @bocciacan for interesting spotlight features.
About Boccia Canada
Boccia Canada is the boccia delivery arm of the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (CCPSA), the National Sport Organization for the Paralympic sport of boccia. Boccia Canada is focused on providing athletes and individuals of all ages and skill with the chance to play a unique Paralympic sport. We lead, develop and grow boccia from grassroots to producing World Champions, and we collaborate with partners to increase participation of Canadians with physical disabilities in sport.
About boccia
Boccia is a Paralympic sport of precision and strategy similar to lawn bowling or curling, played by athletes with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy and related disabilities. It is one of only two Paralympic sports that do not have an Olympic counterpart. Athletes compete in one of six sport classes based on their level and type of disability: BC1, BC2, BC3 BC4, BC5, and Open.
Media Contact
Holly Janna
Communications Lead and National Team Coordinator, Boccia Canada
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number: 613-748-1430 x3 | Cell: 514-944-5193