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The Tokyo Paralympic Boccia competition kicked off today with Australian’s Daniel Michel and Spencer Cotie notching up strong victories.
Paralympian Michel returns for his second Games, delivering a comprehensive 9-0 (2-0, 3-0, 2-0, 2-0), win over Thailand’s Somboon Chaipanich.
Michel was all class against the less experienced Chaipanich who just couldn’t outsmart Michel’s strategy throughout the game.
Head Coach Ken Halliday said Michel executed the game plan flawlessly.
“He played a steady game… he just made sure of all his shots. He tends to be very good at end phases, which means when the other player has used all their balls and he’s still got some left, he’s able to manipulate the balls and get some extra points,” said Halliday.
“He was a little bit nervous before the match which is understandable, he hasn’t played for so long but that’s one of his attributes that he can stay calm even when the pressure is on,” he said.
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Making his Paralympic debuit, Cotie stepped up to the big stage beautifully taking on Argentina’s Stefania Ferrando. While Cotie posted a solid score, he was challenged in the third set by a resurgent Ferrando, but ultimately prevailed 2-0, 1-0, 0-1, 1-0 for his four ends to win 4-1.
Halliday believes Cotie will be better for the experience as he absorbs the moment of his first Paralympic Games.
“He played the first two ends really well and he should have got an extra point in the second end. There was a second point on offer and he didn’t quite nail that which made it a bit tighter than it should have been, but then in the, third end he tended to lose it a bit.”
Cotie’s draw will see him come up against formidable rivals in the McCowan brothers, with Jamie McCowan up tomorrow.
“Jamie McCowan from GB (Great Britain) is next and they play quite a different game from Stefania… but we’ve been practicing that. We knew he was going to come up against the GB boys and we’ve been practicing so I think he’ll do really well,” said Halliday.
Michel’s second round match will see him go head to head against Sweden’s Maria Bjurstrom who poses a similar threat to Somboon.
“I think it will be a very similar game (to the first match). I think she plays a very similar game to Somboon has played and I expect a similar result,” Hallidary commented.
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Results:
AUS. D. Michel 2. 3. 2. 2. 9.
THA S. Chaipanich 0. 0. 0. 0. 0.
AUS S. Cotie 2. 1. 0. 1. 4.
ARG S. Ferrando 0. 0. 1. 0. 1.
Next match up
Sunday 29 August – Ariake Gymnasium
11.55am JPT/12.55pm AEDT
AUS D. Michel
SWE M. Bjurstrom
Court 4
AUS S. Cotie
GBR J. McCowan
Court 5
