Team Canada Announced for 2016 Boccia World Open
Montreal, QC (April 26, 2016) – Boccia Canada is proud to announce the Team Canada athletes who will be attending the first Boccia World Open of 2016 in Montreal, QC from April 25-30. Over the next several days, these twelve athletes will compete in individual, team and pairs events to gain valuable international experience and earn international ranking points.
This competition will see more than 80 athletes coming together from 15 different countries around the world.
“The Competition will be tough as many high profile athletes from many countries are here and ready to play hard, but the athletes are ready for the challenge and are looking forward to the high competition the games will bring” commented Head Coach Mario Delisle.
It was at the same competition in 2015 that the BC4 pair of Marco Dispaltro (Montreal, QC), Alison Levine (Montreal, QC) and Iulian Ciobanu (Montreal, QC), and the BC3 pair of Paul Gauthier (Vancouver, BC), Eric Bussière (Vercheres, QC) and Kevin Shaw (Ottawa, ON) won gold to clinch berths for Canada at the 2016 Paralympic Games.
For athletes in these divisions, a strong performance at the World Open is a critical step in their final preparation for the 2016 Paralympic Games. For others, like national team rookies Phillipe Lord, Mike Mercer and Joseé Lamothe, the World Open is an opportunity to break on to the international scene, learn from their competitors and earn ranking points towards qualification for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
BC1
Hanif Mawji (Burnaby, BC)
Joseé Lamothe (St-Léon-Le-Grand, QC)
Chris Halpen (Victoria, BC)
BC2
Adam Dukovich (Ottawa, ON)
Benoit Ostiguy (Montreal, QC)
Michael Mercer (St.John’s, NL)
BC3
Paul Gauthier (Vancouver, BC)
Eric Bussière (Vercheres, QC)
Philippe Lord (Montreal, QC)
BC4
Marco Dispaltro (Montreal, QC)
Iulian Ciobanu (Montreal, QC)
Alison Levine (Montreal, QC)
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. CCPSA collaborates with partners to increase the participation of Canadians with cerebral palsy and related disabilities in sport and physical activity, while leading, developing and growing boccia from grassroots, to producing World and Paralympic Champions.
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.
For more information contact:
Jennifer Larson
Program Manager, Boccia Canada
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number: (613) 890-5101