David Smith (Bean, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In two days time, two athletes and fierce competitors from Bean will be competing at the World Boccia championship event in Rome as part of the five-strong Australian team. Dylan Schwarz, 18, is competing in his first international event, while Corena Harrison is a wily veteran of the Australian squad, having competed internationally previously in Dubai, Portugal and New Zealand.

Boccia, for the uninitiated, is played indoors and tests competitors' degree of muscle control and accuracy. Competing in wheelchairs, athletes throw, kick or use a ramp device to propel leather balls as close as possible to a white ball called the jack. Australia medalled for the first time in 25 years at the Tokyo Paralympics. I can attest to what a challenge boccia is, with Dylan and Corena regularly crushing me in the special events we have down at the Tuggeranong Archery Club. Dylan and Corena, supported by their coach, Barry Yesberg, who is also travelling to Rome, have worked incredibly hard over the last 12 months despite the challenges of COVID. Dylan is looking to taking on his idol, David Smith, from the UK, a much greater challenge than me. You'll be able to watch the event being livestreamed from the www.worldboccia.com site. Thanks to the Vikings Group, the AIS and the boccia community for their support of Dylan and Corena.

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