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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Paul Behan

Talented Ayrshire athlete celebrates Scotland boccia team cap call

Maybole marvel Kayleigh Haggo has been picked for the Scotland Boccia team — just four months after trying the sport for the very first time.

Kayleigh, 23, is a six-times world record holder at Framerunning and both a World and European champion.

However, next week she will turn her hand to the precision sport of boccia, when Scotland do battle at the Czech Open in Prague.

Boccia is a similar sport to bowls and petanque and is designed for athletes with severe physical disabilities.

It’s been a Paralympic sport since the 1984 games in Los Angeles.

Kayleigh only took up the sport earlier this year.

But earlier this month, she topped the podium at the SDS National Boccia Championships, winning the BC1/2 category.

Now she’s been drafted into the Scotland team that will contest next week’s competition, along with fellow Scots Fiona Muirhead and Tyler McLelland.

Kayleigh said she was “delighted” to have been selected for her first international boccia competition after only four months in the sport, adding: “Massive thanks to Scottish Boccia for the selection!”

A spokesperson for Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) said: “The Czech Open returns to the international calendar and Scottish Boccia has selected three players to attend the event which will take place in Prague from June 3 to June 5.

Kayleigh Haggo only took up boccia four months ago- now she's in the Scotland team (Garry F McHarg Daily Record)

“Fiona Muirhead (BC4), Tyler McLelland (BC4) and Kayleigh Haggo (BC2) will make their international debuts in the sport and will play within both the individual and pairs format of the competition.”

The group will be joined by Boccia UK BC4 player, Louis Saunders, who will team up with Fiona Muirhead in the pair’s competition.

The spokesperson said: “The Czech Open provides the perfect opportunity for Scottish players to compete on the International stage, supporting their preparation as an elite level athlete ahead of potential future selection for Boccia UK programmes.

“SDS is delighted to see our players competing in international competition again following a difficult couple of years for the sport, and we wish them all every success."

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