Birthdate

Sport(s)

Boccia

Hometown

Montreal, QC

Classification

London 2012 Paralympic Games bronze medallist Marco Dispaltro is no stranger to Para sport. With a strong background in wheelchair tennis and wheelchair rugby, he exploded onto the boccia scene in May 2010 on the encouragement of head coach Mario Delisle. Dispaltro held a No. 1 world ranking in his classification entering the 2015 season.

At his third Paralympics at Tokyo 2020, Dispaltro was a member of the mixed pair BC4 with Alison Levine and Iulian Ciobanu that did not advance to the playoff round.

In 2019, Dispaltro won the gold medal in BC4 singles with a resounding 11-2 victory over Colombia’s Euclides Grisales in the final at the Parapan American Games in Lima. He also added a bronze in the BC4 pairs event with Alison Levine and Iulian Ciobanu.

Dispaltro started his wheelchair sports odyssey in 1993 as a rugby player and played until 2004. From 2001 until 2008, he acted as the high-performance coordinator of the Canadian national wheelchair rugby team. In 2008, he became the head coach for Sweden, leading them to unprecedented heights.

In May 2010, after years of coaxing and hesitation, Dispaltro tried boccia and it was love at first throw. His respect for the sport of boccia grew exponentially in the first couple of months of training and he's still dazzled by the talent showcased at the elite level. His achievements in boccia include his bronze in pairs with Josh Vander Vies at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, an individual silver at the 2011 Parapan American Games, and a silver in pairs at the 2015 Parapan American Games.

Born with muscular dystrophy, Dispaltro has always been a fighter and brings that spirit wherever he goes. He's a fully dedicated athlete who trains religiously, keeping meticulous training reports and striving for perfection. He quickly masters the technical aspects of the sport he does and he's relentlessly looking to get that edge over the competition. “We are not born champions, we become champions” is the motto he abides by.

Influential people who have helped him in his sporting career include Duncan Campbell and Stéphan Dubuc in rugby, and Josh Vander Vies and Mario Delisle in boccia.  

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2020 Paralympic Games... Gold in BC4 singles and bronze in pairs at 2019 Parapan Am Games... Competed at 2018 and 2022 World Championships and 2016 Paralympics… Bronze medal at 2012 Paralympic Games… Silver medallist at both the 2011 and 2015 Parapan American Games.

PERSONAL

Renowned for his commitment and dedication to his craft, Dispaltro is rarely seen without a boccia ball in his hand. When he does take time to himself, he is an avid reader and enjoys satirical television. He is also a motivational speaker, using sport to inspire and drive young people.

NOTABLE INTERNATIONAL RESULTS

  • 2022 World Championships - Singles BC4 - eliminated in round of 16
  • 2021 Paralympic Games - Pairs BC 4 - eliminated in preliminaries
  • 2019 Parapan American Games – Pairs BC4 – 3rd 
  • 2019 Parapan American Games – Singles BC 4 – 1st 
  • 2018 World Championships – Pairs BC4 – 6th
  • 2018 World Championships – Singles BC4 – 5th
  • 2016 Paralympic Games – Pairs BC4 – 6th
  • 2016 Paralympic Games – Singles BC4 – 16th
  • 2015 Parapan American Games – Pairs BC4 - Silver
  • 2012 London Paralympic Games – Pairs Mixed BC4 – Bronze
  • 2012 London Paralympic Games – Singles BC4 – 9th
  • 2011 Parapan American Games – Singles BC4 – Silver
Year Type
Host City
Medals
2020 Summer
Tokyo, Japan
2019 Parapan am Games
Lima, Peru
1 gold medals

1 gold medals

1 bronze medals

1 bronze medals

2016 Summer
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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2015 Parapan am Games
canada Created with Sketch.
Toronto, Canada
1 silver medals

1 silver medals

2012 Summer
London, England
1 bronze medals

1 bronze medals

2011 Parapan am Games
Guadalajara, Mexico
1 silver medals

1 silver medals