Dynamic duo take boccia gold in Montreal

Team Australia celebrated a spectacular gold medal triumph in their BC3 pairs campaign at the Montreal World Cup with Jamieson Leeson and Dan Michel and their ramp operators Jasmine Haydon and Ashlee Maddern proving unstoppable.

Australia’s dynamic duo defeated Japan 5-2 in the final after opening their campaign with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Greece, and a dominant 5-1 win over Korea.

Leeson, who, like Michel won silver at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, also claimed the silver medal in the BC3 Female Individual classification.

In an interview with NSWIS media last year, Michel spoke of his on-court partnership with Leeson, and how they both push one another to be their best.

“She’s brilliant,” said Michel. “Jamieson only started in 2017 or 18. She’s a young player but has oodles of experience.

“Her [individual] silver in Paris was a real highlight. She’s on top of her game in the female division and she pushes me every day. We’re pushing each other to be better, and it’s benefited both of us.”

Leeson said in an interview with NSWIS Media that she and Michel have the knack of turning the fierce rivalry they have while competing against one another in Australia into a formidable force when they don their nation’s green and gold battle colours.

“I’m lucky that I train and live in Sydney with Dan so we’re able to train a lot together and get a lot of match play in,” she said.

“We have a bit of a weird relationship because when we compete in Australia, we compete against each other, but then when we compete overseas, [we play in separate divisions – and] together in the pairs.”

“We always have a bit of rivalry at training, wanting to beat each other, but we work really great as a team, we’re able to give each other feedback and support each other. It’s flip of a switch, but fun.”

NSWIS