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Olathe to host 2013 Boccia Americas Cup, August 2-9

Blazesports America is proud to announce that Kansas will  host the 2013 Boccia Americas Cup, August 2-9 2013.  Boccia (a precision sport similar to Bocce ball, petanque or lawn bowls) is the sole sport for athletes with severe physical disabilities in the Paralympic games.

Last week, David Hadfield, president of the BisFefd  (Boccia International Sports Federation)  announced that Kansas City will host this important international event. Jeff Jones, Director of Sports and Community Programs for BlazeSports America, congratulated the organizing committee for securing the event. BlazeSports America is the national governing body for the sport of boccia in the United States. 

This competition, like other continental cups held in 2013, will be the first of three qualifying competitions for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. It offers athletes in the Americas countries the chance to see who the best boccia players in the next Paralympic cycle will be. In addition to the USA, countries expected to compete are Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Mexico and Venezuela.   

The KC Metro area is home to some of the best Boccia players in the country. Austin Hanson BC/3 from Topeka is a Paralympic veteran with a no. 1 national ranking.  He just competed in London 2012. Elizabeth Flora-Swick BC/1 from Gardner, competed at the Para Pan America Games in 2011 and is ranked 1th in the nation Former Topeka resident AB Anwar BC/2 has a number 1 national ranking and is an international veteran. 

For the USA players, the chance to have home field advantage will no doubt help their performances. This event will also be an opportunity for developing boccia players to see the best athletes in the region at home and to learn the techniques and strategies that make champions.

The competition will be held at the New Century Field House near Gardner and the host hotel is the Hilton Garden Inn --  Olathe.

For information about the 2013 Boccia Americas Cup tournament, or interest in helping with this event, contact:  Mark Flora-Swick, Host Organizing Chairman, 913-205-7034, markfloraswick@centurylink.net.

For more information, visit www.2013BocciaAmericasCup.org