Zac Ahoy has won multiple medals on state and national stages for boccia and now he hopes to add a one from an overseas competition to his collection.
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Ahoy will compete for the NSW team at New Zealand’s national boccia championships in October.
He first took up the Paralympic sport six years ago after being introduced to it at school.
“A few people from Boccia NSW came up and started a competition for every school in NSW,” he said.
“We had to go through a qualifying tournament for our area in the north west for the schools knockout competition down in Sydney.
“The first year we played there were over 30 schools competing. That was the first year and we actually did pretty well, we came third.”
From there Ahoy was hooked and went back the following year as the captain where the local team finished fourth.
After he finished school, he was chosen to play in the NSW junior team at nationals where they won gold.
The following year he competed for the senior team and finished as a runner up to Queensland.
Ahoy spent 18 months living in Newcastle training and competing before moving back to Armidale.
This year he earned a spot in the NSW team once again to compete in the New Zealand competition.
Ahoy said a lot of thinking goes into being successful at boccia.
“It is a very strategic sport,” he said.
“You have to be really focused, you always have to make sure your chair is positioned properly. You have to make sure you are lined up to get a good shot.”
It will be the first overseas trip Ahoy has taken and is thrilled the sport he is so passionate about helped him earn the opportunity.
“I wouldn't be going if it wasn't for all the support from my family and friends and all the money that's been raised to help me go over to New Zealand,” he said.
“The biggest support I've got is my sister Lisa, she's taking time out of her busy schedule to take me over to New Zealand. I am also taking my brother who lives with me, Charlie, he is going to be my personal carer.”