Hamilton boccia star Steph McGuire wins Paralympics gold

Hamilton’s Steph McGuire told himself to have no regrets as he won Paralympics gold at the fourth attempt.

The 40-year-old beat Colombia’s Edilson Chica Chica 8-5 in the gold medal final in South Paris Arena this afternoon.

McGuire has been trying to win a medal for Paralympics GB for 20 years, since he started playing the sport, and had won at least one at every other level in the disability sport.

A delighted McGuire said: “I’ve played this sport for 20 years and I’ve been in every possible final, apart from the Paralympics. I’ve never even been to the podium.

“I was starting to feel this event was getting away from me, two fourths in London, another fourth in Rio, I didn’t even make the semis in Tokyo, but this just shows why you should never give up.

“I felt really confident in the final. My flatmate is David Smith and he’s won three golds. He told me to have no regrets and not to settle for silver, just go for it.

“There wasn’t many nerves, there were more in the semi-final because I’ve lost the last three. It’s a Paralympic final, I may never reach another one, so I told myself to enjoy it.”

The win is all the more remarkable as McGuire was given a bipartite place after failing to qualify through the doubles, following an accident at home.

McGuire was bang on form, pulling himself up from the World’s top 10 to third before the tournament.

He said: “The easiest way to qualify is through the pairs but I didn’t make it, so I had to focus everything on the individual.

“It was a lot of hard work, a lot of soul searching and I was the last person to be named on this team – the others knew months ago.

“It’s been an unbelievable season, I’ve made a final in every competition I’ve entered.”

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