Paris 2024 Boccia and Para Archery Lookahead: Alison Levine opens with two matches on day one in boccia

PARIS – Alison Levine of Montreal, ranked number two in the world in the women’s BC4, opens her individual tournament with two matches on Thursday as the pools and preliminary round schedule were announced Tuesday at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Levine, competing at her third Paralympic Games, opens against Egypt’s Hanaa Elfar, ranked 25^th internationally, at 12:50 p.m. (local time), then faces number-11 Noor Askuzaimey Mat Salim of Malaysia at 7:20 p.m.

She’ll conclude prelims against number-10 Nataliia Konenko of Ukraine on Friday. The top-two from each of the four pools advance to the quarterfinals.

The 34-year-old Levine from Montreal qualified for Paris 2024 in both individual and pairs, with partner Iulian Ciobanu, with golden performances at the 2023 Parapan American Games last November.

The number-one player in the world in women’s BC4 is Leidy Chica Chica of Colombia who was beaten by Levine in the Parapan Am gold medal final.

‘’I’m always looking for those tiny things that I can do to improve my game,’’ said Levine, explaining her consistency in the sport. ‘’I know I have what it takes so I’m always tinkering with my chair and looking at which balls I should be using. I stay true to myself and play my style.

‘’Just being me is my key to success.’’

The other three Canadians in boccia are also in action on Thursday.

Third-time Paralympian Ciobanu, ranked eighth in men’s BC4, opens against number-13 Artem Kolinko of Ukraine. In men’s BC2, Danik Allard of Bois-des-Filion, Que. faces Japan’s Takayuki Hirose while in BC1 Lance Cryderman of Sudbury, Ont. meets Andre Ramos of Portugal.

Ciobanu, who was a double medallist in Santiago, is pleased with his progress in individual play.

‘’As soon as Alison and I started having good results in pairs, I started to have good results individually,’’ said Ciobanu, 39, from Montreal. ‘’My coach told me it was just a matter of time before I get there and it’s happening now.’’

In individual play, the playoffs run from Saturday to Monday, and that includes six gold medal games on September 2 including the men’s and women’s BC4. The teams and pairs events go from September 3-5.

In BC4 pairs, Levine and Ciobanu are ranked number-two in the world behind Chica Chica and her brother Edilson.

‘’Iulian tends to be more of a risk taker and I tend to be more conservative,’’ said Levine about their partnership. ‘’But we are able to work pretty much through anything and when we disagree we use it to our advantage by finding a middle ground.’’

Boccia action takes place at South Paris Arena 1.

Kyle Tremblay shoots for big result in Para archery

At the Parapan Am Games last year in Santiago, Kyle Tremblay of Deep River, Ont. earned his spot for Paris 2024 by winning the bronze medal in the compound men’s open category which gets underway on Thursday in Paris.

Tremblay not only showed he has the talent to be a top international competitor in his wheelchair division but also was grace under pressure in the Chilean capital as he won the crucial match with a bullseye shot in extra rounds.

“He’s been training so hard to get to this point,’’ Tremblay’s coach Linda Price told the Surrey-Now Leader last week. ‘’I just admire his stamina and perseverance in getting the job done.’’

Tremblay placed ninth in 2024 at both world ranking events.

The field in Tremblay’s division includes armless Matt Stutzman, the 2022 world champion, famous for shooting with his feet.

The ranking round goes on Thursday, the round of 32 on Friday, then the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and medal matches are all on Sunday. The playoffs are head-to-head matches with the winners advancing.

Para archery takes place at Invalides.

For more information visit our Paris 2024 Hub.