Paris 2024 Paralympic Games | Programme, favourites... Everything you need to know about Boccia tournaments

From 29 August to 5 September, the individual and mixed doubles Boccia tournaments of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will be held at the South Paris Arena. Technique and precision will be the keys to success!

Where?

The various Boccia competitions will be held at the South Paris Arena, which has already hosted handball, volleyball, table tennis and weightlifting events at the Olympic Games.

On the Paralympic side, this venue will also host Goalball and Para table tennis events.

When?

The Boccia programme will be packed! It all kicks off on 29 August with the group matches in the individual tournaments (and again on 30 August). On August 31, it's time for the finals, which will last until September 2. September 3, 4 and 5 will be reserved for the mixed doubles. In all, there will be 299 matches to follow!

What classifications?

There are 4 Paralympic classes: BC1, BC2, BC3 and BC4 (BC for Boccia).

These classes are for athletes with moderate to severe disabilities in the upper limbs, lower limbs and trunk. BC1 and BC3 players may have assistance (wheelchair stabilisation in BC1, launch ramp in BC3), while BC2 and BC4 players play autonomously.

• BC1: athletes throw the ball with their foot or their hand. Assistants are allowed but need to stay away from the player’s box, while adjusting the contender’s chair for a better stability. They can also give the ball to the player when he requests it.
• BC2: athletes throw the ball with their hand but are not eligible to have an assistant close to them.
• BC3: athletes have very important dysfunctions to their four extremities and don’t have enough mobility to throw the ball, despite having arm movement ability. Assistants - who also can get a medal in this class - are allowed to stay in the player's box but must have their backs turned. Athletes can use a pointer with their mouth, their hand or their forehead, which will push the ball down a ramp, adjusting the ball’s speed to reach the jack.
• BC4: athletes have very important dysfunctions to their four extremities and poor trunk control but are not eligible to have an assistant with them.

Who?

116 players from 75 countries will be competing in the Paralympic Games. And some of them stand out from the crowd!

As far as the French delegation is concerned, this will be their second appearance in the history of the Paralympic Games, following the experience of Tokyo 2021 in this discipline. 5 Tricolores have qualified:

• Sonia Hekel, BC3 category, from Club Handisport de Ludres
• Fayçal Meguenni, BC2 category, from club Handisport Littoral Dunkerquois
• Jules Menard, BC3 category, from club Din’ Handisport
• Aurélie Aubert, BC1 category, from club Handisport Actions
• Aurélie Fabre, BC2 category, from club Handisport Marseille

On the international front, we should also keep an eye on :

• David Smith (GBR), 5 Paralympic medals and 8 world medals in category BC1
• Grigorios Polychronidis (GRE), medallist at the Paralympic Games since 2008 as an individual or in pairs in category BC3
• Hidetaka Sugimura (JPN), gold medallist in Tokyo in category BC2
• Andreza Vitória De Oliveira (BRA), gold medallist at the last World Championships in Rio de Janeiro in the women's BC1 category
• Claire Taggart (GBR) gold medallist at the last World Championships in Rio de Janeiro in the women's BC2 category
• Leidy Chica (COL) gold medallist at the last World Championships in Rio de Janeiro in the women's BC4 category

How can you get there?

Tickets are available from the official Paris 2024 ticket office. For the encore match after the Olympic Games, take advantage of the opportunity and treat yourself to a second dose of happiness and thrills!