Reading duo Will Arnott and Connor Wellfare have been selected to represent Great Britain in the upcoming Paralympic Games in Paris.
The games, which take place in France in August, will compete in boccia for Team GB.
Boccia is a paralympic sport, first introduced in 1984, which sees athletes throw, kick or use a ramp to propel a ball onto a court with the aim of getting the ball as close as possible to the ‘jack’.
Arnott, 25, will make his debut at the Paralympics alongside his assistant Wellfare.
They are both Reading residents and have secured a silver medal at the 2024 Para European Championships.
Arnott said: “I am so proud to be part of this squad. It feels as if the hard work that goes on in the background is starting to pay off and I’m thrilled to make my Paralympic debut in Paris.
“For me and my assistant, Connor, it really is a dream come true.”
Paralympics GB chef de mission Penny Briscoe said: ““I’m really excited to see the ParalympicsGB team taking shape with today’s addition of David, Claire, Will, Sally and Kayleigh – our boccia squad for Paris 2024. We have a superb depth of talent among our five selected athletes, across individual and team disciplines, and I can’t wait to see them all in action this summer.”
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Greg Baker, Boccia UK’s performance director added: “I’m so proud of the five athletes headed to the boccia court in Paris.
“Since Tokyo, we’ve seen some key players retire and it’s been more difficult to qualify than ever before, so to see new players coming forward, delivering on the world stage and making their Paralympic debut is fantastic for our sport.
“It is also testament to our staff – the team behind the team – who have worked incredibly hard to support the squad.
“We’ve had a very productive season with increased competition and international training opportunities to ensure our athletes and staff are as ready as possible for the Games.
“Our focus now is making sure that the next couple of months offer further great preparation for the squad, giving them the best chance to deliver great performances in Paris.”
A total of around 230 athletes from 19 sports are expected to make up the British team that will compete in Paris, with further names to be announced by ParalympicsGB in the next few weeks.
