Ottawa, ON (June 25, 2024) – Boccia Canada is proud to announce that three talented young athletes will be competing at the upcoming World Boccia Challenger in Poznan, Poland. These athletes will participate in individual BC3, Pair BC3, and BC2 individual events, showcasing their skills on the international stage from June 26 to July 1, 2024.

Olivier Roy (Québec City, QC) will be competing in the BC2 individual event. Roy has made remarkable strides in his boccia career, most notably winning a bronze medal during his first international experience at the World Boccia Youth Championships in Povoa, Portugal, in July 2023. Roy currently ranks third nationally in his category and is eager to continue his success in Poznan at his first-ever senior international competition. He is also a new member of the 2024 National Team alongside Alex Lemaire (Kingsey Falls, QC).

Lemaire and Marylou Martineau (Québec City, QC) will join forces in the BC3 pairs event, aiming to bring home a medal. The duo will be teaming up for the third time ever internationally, most recently at the Montreal World Open in May. Since partnering, they have worked hard on their communication and quick decision-making as teammates. Both Lemaire and Martineau have shown great promise nationally, with Martineau ranked second and Lemaire ranked third in the BC3 category in Canada. They will also be competing in their respective individual men’s and women’s divisions at this international event. 

The National Team Coaches have emphasized the importance of exposing these young athletes to international competition as part of their development pathway.

“These three athletes have been showing tremendous potential at the national level and it’s essential to now provide them with opportunities to compete on the world stage,” said Assistant and Espoir Coach Simon Larouche who has worked closely with this group heading to Poznan. “We believe that participating in events like the World Boccia Challenger will be extremely beneficial for their development. The level of play at international competitions is getting stronger and stronger with boccia being one of the fastest growing Paralympic sports in the world right now. We aim to continue to medal internationally, which means exposing our youth to different scenarios on court, but also that they are demonstrating they can handle the challenge. We will have three great athletes at this competition who are more than ready to compete at this level.”

Roy concurred, “My goal for this competition is to make it out of my pool and into the playoffs. This competition will also allow me to clarify what I need to work on in the coming year. I’m grateful for the opportunity to compete against the best players from each country in my category.”

For more information about the Boccia Canada National Team athletes visit the website here. Please contact Boccia Canada’s Communications Lead, Holly Janna, for media inquiries and interviews before, during, and post competition 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