Canada Leaves with Two Gold, Three Silver, and Five Bronze to Close Out Competition in Santiago
More Medals for Canada at Santiago World Boccia Challenger, including the Team BC1 and BC2s
Ottawa, ON (July 3, 2023) – Canada increased their total to ten medals at the Santiago World Boccia Challenger after the Team and Pairs competition ended last night. They added a Team BC1 and BC2 silver, bronze in BC3 Pairs, and silver in BC4 Pairs to the seven individual medals earned earlier in the week. This has been great practice for the upcoming 2023 Parapan American Games in November, where they will play at the same venue. The Parapan American Games is a qualification competition for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. The BC1/BC2 Team impressed at the tournament, with all three teammates starting off on the podium in their individual events. Danik Allard (Bois-des-Filion, QC), Kristyn Collins (St. John’s, NL), and Lance Cryderman (Val Caron, ON) then put their skills to the test as a Team, playing in one pool of five countries. The trio won their first game against El Salvador and followed with a loss to Argentina. To clinch the silver they needed at least one more win. In their third game against Mexico, Canada played some excellent first ball and placement shots to squeeze out Mexico. They led throughout the game, winning 7 to 1 to jump ahead of the Mexicans into second place. After a convincing 12-1 win against Chile, they closed the tournament with a 3-1 record, to the delight of their coach, Ed Richardson. “We’ve been working on team cohesion, communication, and confidence which was very apparent in these games. Team Zoom calls also played into our strategies and shot selections. I’m so proud to say I was part of this team in Santiago.” Canada’s BC4 Pair have medalled at three consecutive international events to date. Alison Levine (Montréal. QC) and Iulian Ciobanu (Montréal, QC) kept the streak going in Santiago, adding another silver in the BC4 mixed pairs event. They are currently ranked second in the world and showed it, going undefeated until the final game against the world number three, Colombia. Leidy Chica Chica played with her brother, Edilson Chica Chica, who the Canadians had yet to face in competition. The Colombians got off to an early lead in the first two ends and Canada ultimately could not bounce back. The BC3 Pair of Marylou Martineau (Québec City, QC) and Ryan Rondeau (Edmonton, AB) won the bronze medal, their first as a duo, in only their second tournament together. As Head Coach César Nicolai put it, “they have broken the ice and we’ll continue to build on this performance moving forward.” “I’m very proud of the work of myself and Ryan,” said Martineau. “Despite losing our first two games, we kept our confidence to come back full force against Chile to win 10-1 and seal the podium. It’s encouraging!” Assistant Coach, Simon Larouche, gave insight to the new pairing between Rondeau and Martineau since long-time team member Eric Bussière took a pause from international competition last year. “We’re constructing a new partnership here which seems to be working. In each game they knew how to be successful and stay competitive. They improved match after match.” Canada leaves Santiago with a total of two gold, three silver, and five bronze medals. Head Coach Nicolai was very pleased with the team’s overall performance. “We came here to perform, progress, and familiarize ourselves with the competition site for the Santiago Parapan American Games. I’m extremely proud of this team, the athletes, the performance partners, and staff. They all did an exceptional job here”. Catch all Boccia Canada-related updates and news from the Santiago World Boccia Challenger on their Facebook page here.
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