Ottawa, ON (March 28, 2025) – Andrew Woodrow (St. John’s, NL) kicked off the international boccia season with two medals at the Curitiba World Boccia Youth Championships in Brazil. Competing in the Mixed BC4 category, Woodrow secured bronze in individual play.
Woodrow delivered an outstanding performance against global contenders in his international debut. His medal run began with a victory against Rafael Viriato of Portugal, followed by a pivotal 5-0 victory over pool leader Portugal’s Tiago Silva. His third consecutive win against Joice Lira from Brazil was enough to secure the bronze.
Woodrow followed his individual success with a win in the opener of the mixed-nations BC4 Pairs event alongside his Brazilian teammate.
Joe Philpott (St. John’s, NL) also made his international debut in Curitiba in the Mixed BC1 category, earning his first-ever international win against Samuel Sloboda of Slovakia. Carter Plumb (Brampton, ON) competed in the large Mixed BC3 division, demonstrating resilience and strategy throughout the tournament, but lost all matchups in Pool B.
The World Youth Championships featured 29 athletes under 18 years old from Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Portugal, Singapore, and Slovakia competing in a mixed-gender format.
The tournament continues with BC1/2 Team, BC3 Pairs, and BC4 Pairs events.
“Mario and I are incredibly proud of our athletes for their performance at the Curitiba World Youth Championships. Their dedication and hard work are a testament to the strength of our boccia program in Canada and, in my experience, at the provincial level in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Boccia Newfoundland and Labrador coach Eileen Bartlett. “I, too, have learned a lot at this competition, which I will take with me back to St. John’s where I coach Joe, Andrew, and others in the national program regularly.”
Reflecting on his achievements, Woodrow shared, “I’m having a great time here in Brazil! The competition is stiff, so I’m very proud to have won a bronze medal while representing Canada. This is an amazing experience because I’ve made many memories and improved my boccia skills greatly. This medal means so much to me and I hope to have more opportunities in the future to compete for Canada internationally!”
The Curitiba World Youth Championships serve as a crucial stepping stone for young athletes aspiring to reach the highest levels of boccia.
Philpott in BC1/2 Team and Plumb in BC3 Pairs will round out their Curitiba experience with the final games being played tomorrow. Both are still in the medal hunt.
Follow along via webcast here to find out Canada’s final medal tally. You can also find the Curitiba results and schedule here as well as updates on our Facebook page and Twitter page.
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 Contacts:
Holly Janna
Communications Lead
Boccia Canada
hjanna@bocciacanada.ca | 514-944-5193