By Boccia Canada
In a battle of skill and determination at the 2024 Zagreb World Boccia Challenger, Marco Dispaltro faced a tough loss in the quarterfinals to Louis Saunders 4-2. This comes after two wins and finishing top of his Pool in the preliminary stage of BC4 Male class.
"At this level, if you don’t execute, you don’t win. It’s as simple as that,” said Dispaltro. “In my quarterfinal game, I had many opportunities, and I just didn’t execute the way I should have.”
The defeat is a setback to Dispaltro’s quest for a bipartite slot at the upcoming Paralympic Games in Paris taking place later this summer. Despite this quarterfinal loss, Dispaltro remains resolute. He is focused on his goal of representing Canada on the biggest stage and continues to move forward with the support of his teammates, coaches, and family.
Dispaltro’s sights are now set on the Montréal World Cup beginning April 30th, an event hosted on his home turf, at the Maurice Richard Arena. In total, nine Canadians will compete in the event, an annual stop on the international Boccia competition calendar.
"I’m hoping in Montréal I will have better results because I know I can compete with anyone in the world. This could be one of the last times [my parents] see me in action at home, as they aren’t getting younger, so it’s quite emotional… My parents have always been tremendous supporters of mine. Just knowing they’ll be there will have a meaningful impact on my game.”
For more details on the Montréal World Boccia Cup, hosted by Défi sportif AlterGo, visit World Boccia. Follow the Boccia Canada Facebook page here and X account here for all updates on upcoming world competitions and events.
