European Para Championships:Taggart returns home with silverware

The World Champion boccia player from east Antrim won a silver and a bronze - individually and then in the Team event.

The BC1/2 Team, made up of Eastleigh star David Smith OBE, Larne’s Claire Taggart and Papworth Everard’s Will Hipwell were unable to overcome hosts, Netherlands in the final.

Smith, captain of the trio, said: “It was just one of those games. We had an opportunity in the first end when I thought we were going to score three and we ended up losing three.

"It was just the roll of the balls after that. Boccia is like that sometimes. They had the crowd on their side which probably helped, but we played well. We will keep pushing as we want to get gold when we can in tournaments but team sports are quite unpredictable.”

Claire’s compatriot Robyn McBride from Doagh reached the quarter finals of the individuals.

In total, Boccia UK secured six medals at the tournament. The medal haul is double that secured two years ago at the Europeans in Seville.

Performance Director Greg Baker said that doubling the medal haul from the previous European Championships demonstrates the progress Boccia UK is making.

He stated: “Winning six medals here in Rotterdam and managing to convert all our bronze playoffs into medals shows a really good performance from the squad.

"We’ll go home and reflect and take stock collectively of what we can do to be even more prepared for the competitions coming up and, of course, for Paris next year.

"But it’s been a really good positive experience with the athletes enjoying the multi-sport format and that Paralympic Games type feel of event. It’s given us vital experience ahead of Paris next year, especially for our newer, less experienced players in the squad.”

It was a tournament of many firsts in which the traditional schedule was ripped up, allowing for back-to-back individual and Team & Pair finals over the weekend. And in another move to attract crowds, the finals took place on outdoor courts in the heart of the city.