The prestigious "Poznan 2024 World Boccia Challenger" tournament took place at the Poznan University of Technology Sports Centre.
The event was organized by the Polish Boccia Association in cooperation with World Boccia - the organization responsible for managing this sport on behalf of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Poznan University of Technology. The honorary patrons of the tournament were the President of the Polish Paralympic Committee and the Rector of the Poznan University of Technology.
The Poznan Challenger was one of the last tournaments this year held before the Paralympic Games in Paris, which is why it attracted the attention of the world's top Boccia players. Over 100 players from 20 countries from four continents took part in the tournament, including the Polish national team.
Boccia is one of the fastest-growing Paralympic sports. The game aims to place the ball of its colour as close as possible to the white ball called the jack, which is similar to the rules of the Italian game of boules or the French game of petanque. In Boccia people with the most severe disabilities play. In the International Paralympic Committee, Boccia players belong to the AHSN group - Athletes Requiring High Support in most life activities, including self-care, as well as training and playing. Boccia is a discipline that requires high precision, focus and strategic thinking. One well-executed throw can dramatically change the course of the match. The key elements of success are the players' intelligence, mathematical memory, strategy and thousands of hours of intensive training.
The Poznan tournament is recognized in the Boccia world thanks to its excellent organization and Poznan’s opinion as a city friendly to people with disabilities.
The official opening of the tournament took place on Tuesday, June 25 at 2:00 p.m. in the Sports Centre of the Poznan University of Technology. The President of PZ Boccia Bata Dobak-Urbańska, the Vice-President of PZB and member of PKPar Romuald Schmidt, the Vice-Rector of the Poznan University of Technology prof. Wojciech Sumelka, officially opened the competition. The tournament gathered many guests including Chancellor Łukasz Kalupa, Director of the Sports Centre Robert Rejewski and SWF Manager Agata Ostrowska.
The tournament ended with great organizational and sporting success. Medals for Poland were won by competitors in the BC2 category Marika Furtak (bronze), as a team we took 4th place.
The decoration ceremony at the end of the competition took place on Monday at 5:30 p.m. in the sports hall, Wojciech Weiss was attended by Vice-Rector Prof. Michał Wieczorowski, who officially closed the competition. Jacek Bogusławski, Vice-Marshal of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, John Morgan, President of World Boccia, and Marta Mascarenhas, Secretary General of the competition, were also present along with other guests.
Sports Centre of the Poznan University of Technology
