This Sunday, Leidy Chica won Colombia’s eighth medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and the fourth bronze medal at these events, defeating Malaysia’s Nat Ma Salim in the duel for the last place on the podium in boccia.
According to the criteria of
This is a sport played on a rectangular court. Participants must throw balls towards a white ball that serves as a target. They must leave their own balls as close as possible and try to push their opponents’ balls away.
Chica, who had earlier lost the chance to fight for the gold medal, managed to win 7-1 in the match for bronze and thus, Colombia, for the first time in history, won a medal in boccia.
The Colombian won her medal in the BC4 class, in which athletes with non-cerebral disabilities that affect their coordination compete.
This is how Leidy Chica got to boccia and the bronze medal
The girl, born in Cali 34 years ago, began practicing boccia thanks to her brother Edilson, who learned about the discipline thanks to some therapies he received.
She had initially opted for swimming, but then changed sports and in April 2017 she joined the Valle Selection. A month later she participated in her first competition.
Her resume includes a gold medal in pairs at the 2019 Lima Parapan American Games.
Her greatest inspiration is her son, Juan Sebastián, 14. “I have had the privilege of having my son watch me compete and accompany me in this process,” Chica told the Colombian Paralympic Committee.
Colombia won nine medals in Paris 2024, three of which were gold, two silver and four bronze.
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