Medals decided at Boccia World Championships

Great Britain’s David Smith added the world title to his European crown with victory in the BC1 category at the 2014 BisFed Boccia World Championships in Beijing, China, on Saturday (27 September).

He faced Thailand’s Witsanu Huadpradit in the final and was made to work hard in the opening end, but a commanding performance from Smith in the second put him into a comfortable 8-2 lead.

And there was no let up from Smith, as he added to his lead to take the title in a 9-2 victory. Bronze went to the Netherlands’ Daniel Perez, who beat Thailand’s Pattaya Tadtong 3-2.

Gold was to follow for Thailand in the BC2 event however, with Vongsa Watcharaphon putting in an absolutely dominant performance against China’s Zhiqiang Yan with a 10-1 victory.

Brazil’s Maciel Souza Santos claimed the bronze in a 6-3 win over China’s Zhong Kai.

It was a South Korean one-two in the BC3 event, with Han-Soo Kim edging out his compatriot Ho-Won Jeong in a tiebreak finish.

In a tense affair, the Korean’s were level at 2-2 forcing the tiebreak, with Kim holding his nerve at the decisive moment to claim gold.

Great Britain’s Jacob Thomas claimed the bronze, beating Greece’s Grigoris Polychronidis 4-1.

Arguably the shock of the day came in the BC4 event, with Hong Kong’s Leung Yuk-Wing beating Brazilian Paralympic champion Eliseu dos Santos in a narrow 5-4 victory.

Bronze went to South Korea’s Hyeon Seok Seo, who defeated Canada’s Marco Dispaltro 6-2.

Earlier in the competition, Thailand’s Tadtong, Huadpradit, Watcharaphon, Mongkol Jitsa-Ngiem and Boontep Pachdee won gold in the BC1/2 team event, beating Brazil’s Souza, Jose Carlos Oliveria, Daniela Falotico, Luiz Carlos Rodrigues, and Lucas Araujo 10-3.

Great Britain’s Smith, Nigel Murray, Joshua Rowe and Martin Davis claimed bronze in a 6-2 victory over Slovakia’s Jakub Nagy, Lukas Balazi, Tomas Kral and Robert Mezik.

South Korea’s Jeong, Kim and Jun Yup Kim claimed the BC3 pairs title with a 6-1 victory over Great Britain’s Scott McCowan, Jacob Thomas and Patrick Wilson.

Whilst Portugal’s Armando Costa, Jose Carlos Macedo and Luis Silva beat Greece’s Polychronidis, Alkiviadis Lekkas and Nikolaos Pananos to the bronze medal in a 5-2 victory.

And in the BC4 pairs, Hong Kong’s Leung, Wai Yan Vivian Lau and Kwan Hang Wong won gold with a narrow 3-2 win over Brazil’s Santos, Jose Dirceu Pinto and Marcelo Santos.

The bronze was won by China’s Zheng Yuansen and Ximei Lin with a 6-0 victory over Great Britain’s Jamie Docherty, Stephen McGuire and Kieran Steer.

Around 180 athletes from 30 different countries competed in the Championships from 22-27 September.