History was made at the University of Nottingham’s David Ross Sports Village on Saturday as the first ever English National Champions in the BC5, BC6, BC7 and BC8 classifications were crowned.
The 2026 season marked the first time that Boccia England has awarded National Championship titles in these four non-Paralympic classifications. A total of 114 athletes competed throughout the season, with the highest-performing players coming together for the inaugural National Championship Finals.
After a full day of closely fought and highly competitive matches, 12 medals were awarded and four athletes were crowned the first ever English National Champions in their respective classifications.
BC5
🥇 Amy Darlow
🥈 Natasha Critchley
🥉 James O’Brien
BC6
🥇 Nick Brown
🥈 Oliver Hastings
🥉 Thomas Brown
BC7
🥇 Alan Banks
🥈 Alex Green
🥉 Teresa Teasdale
BC8
🥇 Katy Norris
🥈 Shonie Fitch
🥉 Luke Jones
The inaugural BC5–BC8 National Championship Finals represent an important milestone for boccia in England, providing athletes in these classifications with a national competition structure and the opportunity to compete for an official English National Championship title.
Boccia England CEO, Will Evans, said,
“Our first ever National Championship Finals for BC5–BC8 athletes were a fantastic celebration of everything that is great about our sport. Naturally, it was a closely fought and highly competitive day, but the camaraderie between athletes and the celebration of everyone’s achievements was evident throughout.
“Congratulations not only to our medalists, but to everyone who qualified for the Finals. With the level of competition continuing to rise, simply reaching the National Championship Finals is a significant achievement.
“Finally, a huge thank you to all of our volunteers for their support throughout the season, and to everyone who supports an athlete and helps them to compete. Their contribution is vital to making events like this possible.”
Final finishing positions for all four classifications are available to view – click here. Full results from all fixtures can be viewed on the BCMS system – click here to view.