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Daniel Michel snares Para boccia bronze

3 minute read

Daniel Michel has claimed Australia's second ever Paralympic boccia medal after beating Great Britain's Scott McCowan in the Tokyo bronze medal match.

Sydney's Daniel Michel has claimed a Paralympics boccia bronze medal in Tokyo with a 6-1 win over Great Britain's Scott McCowan.

Michel, 26, and his ramp assistant Ashlee McClure claimed victory in the men's BC3 individual bronze medal match to secure just Australia's second boccia Paralympic medal - and the country's first individual medal.

Australia's only previous boccia medal came when Kris Bignall and Tu Huyhn claimed a mixed pairs C1 WAD bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

"I'm excited with it. The first (boccia) medal for Australia in 25 years. First ever individual medal, so it's a massive achievement," Michel said.

"I'm super happy to respond from the adversity yesterday with the tough game (a 4-3 semi-final loss to the Czech Republic's Adam Peska).

"To come through in that fashion was really important to me. I'm happy I was able to pull it out."

Michel got off to a commanding start, claiming a 3-0 lead after the first end, then added another unanswered point in the second end.

After extending his lead to 6-0 after the third end, Michel then faced a nervous wait for McCowan, and his ramp assistant, father Gary McCowan, to complete the match.

But McCowan ultimately claimed just one point, to Michel's zero, in the fourth and final end, sealing Michel's first medal at his second Paralympics.

"From the outset I executed the plan really, really well. I'm happy with the plan I came in with and being able to carry it out is good," Michel said.

"He is a quality opponent. I had to play well. I pretty much did that through the four ends."

Michel previously won silver in the mixed pairs and bronze in the individual category at the 2018 world championships.

Competitors with more significant impairments compete in the sport and Michel has type two spinal muscular atrophy.

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