Bermuda’s boccia contingent endured a challenging start to their campaigns on the opening day of individual pool play at the Birmingham World Boccia Challenger in Alabama.
The prestigious tournament offers critical ranking points on the long road to the LA28 Paralympic Games, but the opening round-robin fixtures proved unyielding for the local side against elite opposition.
In the BC1 Female division, Bermuda’s top-ranked competitor Yushae DeSilva-Andrade was left frustrated by a clinical performance from Brazil’s Andreza de Oliveira, who secured a commanding 5-0 victory. There was similar disappointment in the men’s brackets as the experienced Omar Hayward struggled to find his rhythm, falling 7-1 to the United States’ Cornelius Oatis.
Meanwhile, the tournament provided a massive personal milestone for Zeik Blakeney, who made his international debut in the BC2 Male division after passing his classification evaluation. Blakeney was handed a baptism of fire, going down 15-0 to El Salvador’s seasoned competitor Mario Sayes. Despite the heavy scoreline, the overseas exposure marks a crucial learning curve for the debutant.
