Spencer Cotie

Paralympic hopeful Spencer Cotie is one of the world’s brightest young boccia stars.

He was born with cerebral palsy and grew up believing that he would never have the opportunity to play sport competitively – that is, until he discovered boccia.

Since starting in the sport nine years ago, Spencer has proven to all those around him that they are witnessing the rise of a champion. He has impressed Australian selectors time and again, and after winning a silver medal in the mixed pairs BC3 with Australian teammate Dan Michel at the 2018 BISFed World Boccia Championships in Liverpool, England, all signs point to his selection to the 2020 Australian Paralympic Team.

Spencer first represented Australia in 2014 at the BISFed World Open in Hong Kong, where he and Dan combined to win the silver medal in the mixed pairs BC3. For their first international hit-out as a duo, it did not take them long to find their rhythm, and a clinical 11-1 victory over Macau set the tone for the next five years of their partnership. By the end of 2018, Spencer and Dan had climbed to world No. 3.

If they continue at this rate, not only will Spencer make his Paralympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, but he will also be in with a good chance of winning the Australian Paralympic Team’s first medal in boccia in 24 years.