I hail from Larne, Northern Ireland, where I was born on February 11, 1995. Throughout my childhood and teenage years, I was drawn to creative and artistic pursuits. I dabbled in various activities, such as playing musical instruments like the piano, trumpet, drums, and accordion. I also had a passion for reading, drawing, and playing video games.
However, around the age of 17, my life took an unexpected turn. I started experiencing mobility issues, stumbling and falling frequently, which eventually led to injuries in both my Achilles tendons. This prompted me to see a neurologist. Despite these challenges, I persevered in my education and managed to achieve three A Levels, although I had to use a wheelchair due to my developing symptoms. At the age of 19, I received a diagnosis of dystonia, a neurological condition characterized by involuntary muscle contractions and spasms, which, in my case, resulted in joint contractures.
Before my diagnosis, I had ventured into wheelchair sports like basketball and rugby recreationally. However, the progressive nature of dystonia made it increasingly difficult to keep up with these sports. It was then that I was introduced to boccia at a local club, which had just been established. Witnessing the sport’s tactics, accuracy, and the intensity of national and international play at the UK Championships in Wigan in 2014 inspired me to become a part of it.
Despite my somewhat uninspiring performance at the 2014 UK Championships, Great Britain’s coaches spotted my potential and invited me to a Talent Event in Sheffield in 2015. I was subsequently selected to join the World Class Programme at Boccia UK. This marked a significant shift in my life as I transitioned from one training session per week to four, in addition to monthly training camps and international competitions. My parents, Maggie and Stevie, also had to adapt to my new sporting career, providing the care and support I needed while traveling.
From joining the World Class Programme in January 2015 to competing in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, only eighteen months had passed. As a relative newcomer to the sport, I was thrilled to represent my country on the grandest Paralympic stage, even though the results were not as I had hoped. This experience, however, fueled my determination to compete in Tokyo 2020(+1) and beyond.
The years between Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020(+1) were pivotal in my career. In 2019, I achieved my first individual international medals, with the highlight being the European Championships in Seville, where I reached the final but narrowly lost to Abilio Valente, one of Portugal’s greatest players, with a score of 4:2. By the end of the 2019 season, I had climbed from #49 in the world rankings to #10, securing a spot in the Tokyo 2020(+1) Paralympics.
The start of 2020 brought unexpected challenges with the global pandemic. As someone with a severe physical disability, I had to shield for almost 14 months and only resumed on-court training in March 2021, just five months before the Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020(+1).
Competing in Tokyo 2020(+1) was an experience that few believed would happen, including myself. Although I gave my all in every game, I didn’t secure a win in any individual match. This period had a significant impact on my confidence, both in myself and the sport, and took a toll on my mental health. Consequently, I took some time away from boccia to reflect on my next steps and whether I should commit to another Paralympic cycle toward Paris 2024.
In the end, I decided that the best way to overcome my disappointments from Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020(+1) was to embark on another Paralympic cycle, with some personal and sport-related changes. The international federation of Boccia made a significant change by eliminating mixed individual competitions to promote female participation in the sport. I also made adjustments within my support network and coaching, with Glynn Tromans becoming my individual coach in 2022.
Since then, I’ve achieved remarkable success internationally, winning medals in every event I’ve competed in since 2022, including a gold medal at the World Championships in Rio at the end of that year. My sights are now set on using these experiences to qualify for and compete in the Paralympic Games in Paris 2024.
Claire Taggart Boccia by Pugman media.
