The Eastern Cape boccia team made a good impression at the Boccia South African National Championships when they clinched their third consecutive team gold medal as well as a silver and a bronze medal in Bloemfontein early this month.
The Easter-weekend competition saw the Eastern Cape team garner seven medals, resulting in it receiving the top honours at the prize-giving ceremony.
They were awarded the Boccia trophy for their excellent work.
This was their second consecutive win – they clinched the same trophy when the championships took place in Port Elizabeth last year.
The Paralympic sport is played on a marked-out court with competitors aiming to score points in four end rounds by trying to get as many of their six red or blue boccia balls as close as possible to the white jack. Scoring is the same as for lawn bowls. The extent of disability determines which of the five classes a player is classified to play in.
Team captain Brett Dakin, who is a three-time gold medallist, scored a bronze medal this year after he fell short in the semifinals. However, he said he was happy with the team’s performance.
“The competition was good, I had a great time,” Dakin, 20, said.
“I am very happy and very proud as well that the team received a gold medal this year.
“I have no competitions lined up at the moment but I will keep training because I want to try and get overseas and enter for the international competitions, so that I can get a proper international ranking.”
The individual medal winners were:
Gold: Chumani Dingela (BC3) of Port Elizabeth (his first gold after having taken part in 10 championships); Amahle Kani (BC5); Silver: Ibanathi Thathu (BC5); Bronze: Brett Dakin (BC2)
