MCGUIRE’S PARALYMPIC AMBITIONS

Hamilton’s Stephen Mcguire winning a Paralympics medal at Tokyo 2020 would be the icing on the cake of a 16-year international career – if he’s selected.

Boccia UK have secured their place at the Games next year, but have still to select their team.

Stephen, who captains the BC4 team, is by some distance the most experienced player they have, having performed at Rio and London, and says this is almost certainly his last crack at a podium finish at that level, should he get the nod.

Boccia UK qualified with an event still to be played after unprecedented success at the 2019 Nymburk Boccia Regional Open in the Czech Republic, winning all seven gold medals available to them.

The competition included team, pair and individual events, with some very good performances put in by Mcguire and fellow Scots Scott Mccowan and Patrick Wilson.

In BC4, Stephen was back to his best as he scooped individual gold and pairs gold, alongside England’s Evie Edwards and Louis Saunders.

Mcguire said: “To podium in Tokyo would be the icing on the cake of a 16-year international career.

“I’ve played through the golden era of GB athletes and been able to win some amazing medals – a medal in Tokyo would top it all for me.

“The success at the European Regional Open means that we have enough points to qualify for Tokyo with one competition to go.

“It’s an awesome feeling to get over the line as quickly as possible.

“We have qualified the slots, but selections take place next year, but it has put myself and our pair in a good position.

“If selected I’ll definitely be giving the Paralympics another shot. I’m pretty ecstatic to be in this position.

“We have a young pair, which will only get better within the next year. Tokyo sounds amazing from what I’m hearing.”