2023 gave us plenty to cheer about! Here’s a shortlist of some of those top moments.
By Emma Logan, Communications Manager
SCOTS DOMINATE BC4s AT UK CHAMPS
It was a 1-2 for the Scots in Warwick as McGuire and McLelland faced off at the UK Championships.
It was redemption for Stephen McGuire who sealed BC4 gold after settling for bronze at last year’s meet. In the Scottish gold medal final, the experienced McGuire faced off rising star, Tyler McLelland. The youngster gave McGuire a good fight but was unable to stop McGuire’s winning ways.
The Scots also found the podium in the BC3 category, with a bronze by Edinburgh’s Patrick Wilson. Wilson rode that medal momentum into the following World Cup (in Fortaleza) where he bettered his performance, winning a silver with ramp assistant Meredith Greenwood. He last made a World Cup podium in 2019, so he should be feeling confident heading into 2024.
MEDAL MOMENTUM FOR DYNAMIC DUO
Stephen McGuire was no stranger to the podium in the pairs competition, as he found great success alongside Fiona Muirhead.
After joining the Boccia UK squad in 2022, Muirhead has gone from strength to strength, just like her partnership with McGuire. The Lanarkshire duo clinched bronze with a 3-1 over Colombia at the Montreal World Cup, in the BC4 pairs. It was another medal to McGuire’s collection but a first-ever World Cup medal for Muirhead and certainly, not her last.
The pair climbed the podium to seal silver in Rotterdam (the Netherlands) at the European Championships.
Continuing their medal momentum, McGuire and Muirhead claimed gold in style at the Heraklion Challenger in Crete. The BC4 pair were undefeated across all four games, closing the season on a high.
FIFE’S RISING STAR
2023 was a momentous year for Fife’s Tyler McLelland, as he was selected to be part of Boccia UK’s first ever Talent Transition Squad.
McLelland was one of four players selected, who will be exposed to more international competitions as well as attending training camps alongside some of Great Britain’s top boccia players.
The 17 year-old is part of the Scottish Boccia Squad and is coached by Claire Morrison. He got people’s attention and demonstrated his potential when he won his debut individual international match in 2022.
He has continued to excel in boccia throughout 2023, a major sporting highlight for McLelland being winning pairs gold with Sophie Newnham (from England) at the World Youth Championships. The future looks very bright for this young man.
BOCCIA DEVELOPMENT
As the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games fast approach, great headway has been made in the sport’s development.
In 2023, weekly training sessions were launched at The Peak, in Stirling. Coaches from Boccia UK and Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) lead the coached sessions for both GB and Scottish athletes.
“The sessions in Stirling provide a great opportunity for GB and Scottish athletes and coaches to work together, support and learn from each other. Many boccia athletes tend to train on their own so to be able to bring everyone together on a weekly basis definitely helps to push us all on”, said Claire Morrison, boccia coach.
In addition, Alloa now hosts a bimonthly Scottish Squad session.
(If you would like to find out more and get involved, please email SDS at: admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com or call 0131 3171130.)
MEMORABLE MENTIONS
Shoutout to Ross and Stewart McNeil (ramp operator) who took silver at the Boccia England Team and Pairs competition. Paired with Cecilia Turk and ramp operator, Mervyn Turk (England), the duo came second in the BC3 category.
2023 was littered with strong performances from Kayleigh Haggo.
Haggo, who joined the World Class Programme at the beginning of the year, was part of Team Great Britain’s bronze performance at the Montreal World Cup. They beat Japan 5-3 but went out to the gold medallists, South Korea, conceding 5-7.
Despite not reaching the podium, Haggo left quite the impression at the Heraklion Challenger. She enters 2024, brimming with potential.