Last Updated on 28/05/2025 by Crip Life
Boccia UK is set to commence its 2025 competitive season at the Pajulathi Challenger in Finland, scheduled from 9th to 17th May. This marks the first international outing for the team since the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Seven British athletes will participate, aiming to build momentum for the upcoming European Championships in Zagreb this July.
Scroll down to view Boccia UK’s results at the Pajulathi Challenger tournament.
Stephen McGuire returns to international play
Stephen McGuire MBE, fresh off his gold medal victory in Paris, will return to international competition in Finland.
Reflecting on his hiatus, Stephen stated, “I absolutely needed a break after Paris to clear my head and refocus… The European Championships in Zagreb is high on that list so Finland is a really good warm-up for that.”
He added: “I’ve always done well at Europeans and it’s one of the tournaments I really look forward to. The biggest motivation for me this year is to qualify as a Pair for the World Championships next year.”
Boccia UK stars set to shine again as newcomers and veterans return to action
David Smith OBE will also be back in action. He will be joined by Kayleigh Brown (formerly Kayleigh Haggo) and Reshad Saraj in the Team event following the individual competition.
For Reshad, it will be his first tournament as a member of Boccia UK’s World Class Programme.
Meanwhile, Kayleigh recently announced in an Instagram post that she and her husband and competition assistant, Kevin, are expecting a baby in November.
“I’m really looking forward to competing in Finland and the Europeans before I take a break from the boccia court to focus on family,” explained Kayleigh.
Finland will also see a return to court for BC3 player Sally Kidson. The Bristol University music student was Britain’s youngest boccia athlete at the Paralympics. Robyn McBride of Northern Ireland will also be vying to get through the knockout rounds of the BC3 class.
And after a period of injury last season, Fiona Muirhead will also be back in action in the BC4 class.
GB Boccia squad wear red armbands for team-mates
The Great Britain boccia team will wear red armbands at the Pajulathi Challenger in Finland to remember team-mates Will Arnott and Matt Berry.
Finland is the opening tournament of the 2025 season and the first time the GB squad have been back on court since the formidable BC3 players died last December.
Performance Director Greg Baker said: “This is a really poignant and emotional start of the year for us. It’s been difficult for the squad and the staff to come to terms with Will and Matt’s passing but we’ll be back on court and we’ll be giving it everything, for them. This is our way of paying tribute to two world-class athletes and to two very much missed teammates.”
The squad selected the colour red in recognition of World Duchenne Awareness Day as Will and Matt both lived with the condition.
Will Arnott, 25, represented ParalympicsGB at the Paris Paralympic Games last summer. His steely determination saw him rise in the world rankings to the number seven spot by the close of the 2024 season.
Matt Berry, 28, was on Boccia UK’s Talent Transition Squad and was working towards the LA Paralympic Games in 2028. In fact, among his other successes last year – which include two gold medals at the Olbia Challenger – he won bronze at this very same Challenger event.
Teammate Stephen McGuire said: “Will and Matt are sorely missed so we’ll be wearing red armbands in memory of them in Finland, which is our first international tournament of the season. We wanted to do something to remember them while we’re on court, competing in the sport which they loved so much.”
New leadership and strategic focus
This event will also serve as the first major tournament under the guidance of newly appointed Head Coach Rikki Bingham. Formerly with Archery GB, Rikki brings extensive experience coaching Paralympic athletes and is expected to make a strong impact in her new role.
Speaking about her appointment, Rikki said:
“There is so much potential with the Great Britain boccia squad and the vision of becoming the world’s leading boccia nation is absolutely achievable. To be a part of that journey – along with highly experienced coaches, talented athletes and exceptional practitioners – is very exciting.
“It’s not very often that coaches have the opportunity to change sports and that’s something that really attracted me to the role. Archery and boccia have many similarities in the way that athletes are required to remain calm and execute shots under pressure and tactical decision making is also paramount. But I’m looking forward to looking at the sport with fresh eyes and new ideas.”
Greg Baker also emphasised the strategic importance of the Finnish tournament. “It’s a good chance for us to see where everyone’s at, and it’s also excellent preparation toward the European Championships in July, which is our major event this season.”
The upcoming European Championships are particularly significant, as they also serve as a pathway to qualification for the World Championships in 2026.
2025 Pajulathi Challenger Boccia UK results
Boccia UK opened its 2025 season with a solid performance at the Pajulathi Challenger in Finland.
The squad has returned home with four medals, with Paralympic gold medallist Stephen McGuire MBE taking top honours in the BC4 category and demonstrating continued form since Paris.
It was a momentous occasion for Sally Kidson, who claimed her first-ever international, individual medal, collecting the bronze after a very strong week on court:
“It’s so hard playing for a medal or going home empty-handed. Internationally, I’ve been in five 3rd/4th playoffs – four of them individuals – so to finally get one over the line was really important for me and it’s good momentum ahead of the Europeans.”
Other medal winners included BC1 player David Smith, who claimed silver, after being defeated by Tomas Kral in the final. There was also a bronze win for Reshad Saraj, the BC2 player who recently joined the World Class Programme, out-manoeuvring Greece’s Emmanuel Kokonos 3-2 in the bronze play-off.
The BC1/2 Team saw David Smith, Kayleigh Brown and Reshad Saraj win all five pool matches, with impressive margins.
It was also a welcome return to court for Fiona Muirhead in the BC4s, following injury and Robyn McBride in the BC3s, the latter claiming two victories in the pool matches.
You can find out more about Boccia UK by visiting its website and following on Facebook and Instagram.