Students bring home the silver

NORTHERN Rivers students are returning home victorious after winning a silver medal at the NSW Primary and Secondary Boccia Championships.

Woodburn Public School was amongst 48 schools across the state that competed in the NSW Primary and Secondary Boccia Championships at Sydney’s Olympic Park on August 13-14.

The teams were whittled down from 470 schools in NSW where an estimated 3400 competitors took part – making the tournament the biggest of its type anywhere in the world.

Arlia, Braxton, Hudson and Johnny represented Woodburn Public School and won their first five games at Sydney Olympic Stadium, putting them through to the semi-final.

Their winning streak continued, moving them into the grand final against Mount Terry Public School, from south-west of Wollongong.

While it was a close finish, the day belonged to the southern team, winning by two points to take out the competition

Now in its 11th year, after starting as a humble competition for 40 NSW public schools, boccia is the sport of choice for participants with a range of physical disabilities.

It has elements of bocce, bowls and pétanque and caters for students with physical, hearing, vision, and intellectual disability, as well as transplant recipients.

The NSW public schools’ competition has been a springboard for students to move into the international boccia scene, with Paris-bound Paralympians Jamieson Leeson (Dunedoo Central School), Dan Michel (Heathcote High School) and Spencer Cotie (Killarney Heights High School) all beginning their boccia careers in the School Sport Unit event.

Jamieson and Dan have won gold in three World Cup Pairs Championships and will be amongst the favourites in Paris.

Jamieson was in attendance for the secondary school event.

School Sport Unit Disability Inclusion Officer Peter Cardy said it was fantastic to see students from across the state competing.

“It really is amazing just how popular this sport is,” he said.

“To have an ex-public school student and Paralympian in Jamieson coming along really is the icing on the cake.

“It shows that boccia is not only a fantastic, inclusive sport but also one that can be competed in at the highest level internationally.”