Ottawa, ON (July 13, 2024) – Alison Levine (Montréal, QC) showcased her exceptional talent and determination by winning the bronze medal at the Povoa World Boccia Cup this morning in Portugal. Levine was on fire throughout the tournament, displaying remarkable skill and tenacity in each match.
Despite experiencing illness during her semifinal game against Great Britain’s Sophie Newman yesterday, Levine persevered. Early in the game, these challenges began to affect her performance, but she showed resilience and managed to score 3 points against Newman. Though she was unable to secure a win in that match, her fighting spirit was evident.
Less than 24 hours later, Levine demonstrated her incredible abilities once again by defeating Portugal’s Carla Oliveira with a commanding score of 8-1 to secure the bronze medal. Throughout the tournament, Levine had many outstanding victories, including 10-0 and 7-1 wins in her pool matches, and a 3-1 triumph in the quarterfinals.
Levine’s commendable performance in the individual events set a strong foundation for her next challenge, the Pairs competition, alongside teammate Iulian Ciobanu (Montréal, QC). Ciobanu, despite showing a strong performance and earning a win in his Pool, was unfortunately unable to advance to the quarterfinals due to a loss against Vasile Agache from Spain.
Nevertheless, Ciobanu remains steadfast in his goal and eager to compete alongside Levine in BC4 Pairs play that began early this afternoon. The pair are in a pool with Brazil and Croatia. Together, Levine and Ciobanu are recognized as a formidable duo, and are currently ranked number three in the World Boccia rankings.
The Povoa World Boccia Cup is the final tune-up for both Levine and Ciobanu as they prepare for the Paris Paralympic Games that begin at the end of August.
Find results and schedule here. Watch and rewatch all the live action on YouTube here.
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 leads, develops and grows 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. For more information on boccia, visit www.bocciacanada.ca.
Media Contact
Holly Janna
Email: hjanna@bocciacanada.ca
Phone Number: (514) 944-5193