Above, photos from the Fazza International Boccia Competition held this week in Dubai can be seen by clicking through the arrows in the bottom right-hand corner.
Dubai hosted the second staging of the Fazza International Boccia Competition at the Dubai Club for the Disabled in Al Qusais this week, with the final day of competition on Wednesday proving a massive triumph for Thailand.
The Thai team swept gold through the five disciplines – BC1 (players with cerebral palsy, able to use hands or feet to propel ball into play – permitted an aide to pass them their ball or adjust wheelchair); BC2 (players with cerebral palsy, able to use hands to propel ball into play and generally have greater functional ability than BC1 athletes – no aide allowed); BC3 (players with cerebral palsy or other disability with locomotor dysfunction in all four limbs – unable to throw or kick ball into play, permitted an assistive device to propell ball into play and supported by an aide); BC4 (players without cerebral palsy but with another disability with locomotor dysfunction in all four limbs and with similar functional ability to BC2 athletes – muscular dystrophy and tetraplegia, for example, fall under this discipline; athletes generally able to throw ball efficiently and not permitted an aide); BC4 Pairs (BC4 athletes in a doubles competition).
The sport itself is much like bocci ball, tweaked to the specifications for athletes with cerbral palsy or related neurological conditions.
For Thailand, the tournament was a boon.
“I’m very confident and was always confident of winning,” said 25-year-old Chao-Warit Sangchinda who won the BC3 gold medal match with a dominant 11-0 showing against Portugal’s Roberto Ferreira.
Pattaya Tadtong, in BC1, Watcharphon Vongsa, in BC2, Pornchok Larpyen, in BC4 and BC4 Pairs team of Larpyen and Nuanchan Phonsila claimed the rest of the golds.
“I feel like I’m the world champion,” said Tadtong after winning the BC1 gold against Malaysian Lean Chin Kit 15-0.
The Portugese claimed four silver medals and the Malaysians took the other, adding two bronze medals.
The UAE came close to medalling in the BC4 Pairs discipline, but their team of Raessa Al Falassi, Ayesha Essa Al Mehairi and Ahmed Essa Al Jazeeri were narrowly beaten 3-2 by Iraq, who took the bronze.
Iraqi Mohamed Fadhel Jiad, part of the BC4 Paris bronze medal-winning team, also won the BC1 bronze.
Emirati Al Mehairi said “it was a great challenge and motivation to be competing against top players” after entering the competition after just three days of training.
“It was a good learning experience. Patience, focus and taking your time to think clearly were some of the things I learnt.”
Al Mehairi competed in BC4, losing to Portugal’s Pedro da Clara before taking a tight challenge to Iraq’s Asil Abbas Saghir in pool play.
“I was never nervous. I maintained my calm and was confident of doing well.
“It’s an honour to be competing against the best. My aim is to train harder and improve my skills.
“My dream is to become a world champion.”
Nine countries competed with 51 athletes at the tournament, held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. It was the fifth championship tournament of the Fazza Championships for People with Disability this season, with the Fazza International Wheelchair Basketball Championships next up in May.
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