Montreal World Boccia Cup Sets Early Benchmark for Team Boccia Canada in Highly Competitive Field
Alexandre Lemaire taking his shot at the Montreal 2026 World Cup
Photo Credit: Antoine Saito, Défi Sportif AlterGo
MONTREAL, QC (May 4, 2026) – The World Boccia Cup Montreal 2026 concluded this weekend following the team and pairs competitions, marking the first major international event of the season and an important benchmark for Team Boccia Canada.
Featuring 21 nations, the Montreal World Cup highlighted the increasing depth and competitiveness of international boccia, with tight matches across all classifications and clear signs that the global standard continues to rise.
For the Canadian team, the event served as a key moment in the performance cycle, providing valuable insight into both veteran athletes and emerging talent, as well as new pair combinations.
In the BC4 division, the experienced pairing of Alison Levine and Iulian Ciobanu entered the competition as the top-ranked pair. Despite not advancing to the medal rounds, their matches were highly competitive, with three of their four games decided by a single point. A strong win over Japan demonstrated their ability to compete with the world’s best in tightly contested scenarios.
In BC3, the newly formed pair of Fatima Abderrahmane and Alexandre Lemaire competed together for the first time at the international level. The event also marked Abderrahmane’s debut at a senior international competition. While results did not translate into wins, the pair secured key points and competitive ends, reflecting strong potential as they continue to gain experience on the world stage.
“This event provided a valuable opportunity to gauge where we are in our preparation at this stage of the season,” said Mario Delisle, High Performance Director for Boccia Canada. “It allows us to reassess and fine-tune our training as we continue along the World Cup and Challenger circuit, while building toward the World Championships in Seoul later this summer. Competing on home soil also brings a unique set of challenges, and our athletes demonstrated strong adaptability and resilience in a highly competitive environment. These are important building blocks as we progress through the 2026 season.”
With the first international event of the season complete, Team Boccia Canada will build on the insights gained in Montreal as they prepare for upcoming competitions on the international calendar.
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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.
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