Hamilton star strikes Paralympic gold with the help of a dedicated support team.
Stephen McGuire ended his fourth Paralympic Games with a gold medal in the men’s boccia individual BC4* after defeating Colombia's Edilson Chica 8-5 at the South Paris Arena.
His victory was the result of twenty years of perseverance and hard work, especially after suffering a broken leg and knee in 2022, which left him with a long road to recovery to get back to competing.
Reflecting on the season, Stephen said:
“2024 was incredible. It was my best performance over 20 years of playing the sport. I hadn't quite qualified for the games in Paris, so I had to have a really good season and gather as many points as I could.”
“I started really well and won at the Zagreb 2024 World Boccia Challenger, then got silver at the Montreal World Boccia Cup and from there my confidence took off and I managed to reach every single final. I got selected for the games, only five weeks before the Paralympics in Paris and then, I got the big one! It’s always been a dream for me to deliver a medal for Paralympics GB.”
Stephen was a late addition to the British squad, earning his spot after a successful season proving he could still compete at the highest level. In the final of the BC4 event, he took a decisive lead in the third end, scoring five points, a rare feat at this level. His strategy focused on closing down scoring opportunities for his opponent rather than just winning individual ends.
The road to Paris
Stephen’s primary training base with the Boccia UK programme is located at the University of Stirling, where both Boccia UK and Scottish Disability Sport boccia players share a dedicated daily training environment.
Stephen receives year-round support from sportscotland institute of sport (SIS) staff, with regular access to a wide range of performance services including physiotherapy, strength and conditioning, psychology, nutrition, physiology, and more.
Working with Stephen and his Boccia UK coach Claire Morrison, the ‘team behind the team’ provides dedicated support and includes a network of family, friends, coaches, clubs, and communities, reinforced by governing bodies and the expertise of the sportscotland institute of sport, underpinned by investment from the Scottish Government and the National Lottery.
In 2024-25, 621 Scottish athletes received support from the sportscotland institute of sport. At Paris 2024, 33 Scottish athletes competed at the Olympic and Paralympic games totalling 13 medals for Scots on Team GB and 20 medals for Scots on ParalympicsGB.
Alan Sinclair, Regional Physical Preparation Manager and Jesse Castillo, Lead Physiotherapist for the Boccia programme form a key part of the day-to-day sportscotland institute of sport support team for Stephen.
The ongoing relationship between Stephen and his SIS team helps him to maximise and optimise physical training, prevent injury, and perform at the highest level in his sport.
Stephen said: “I can't do what I do without the team. There are two elements to the support from the sportscotland institute of sport that I find benefit me. One is strength and conditioning; it's a must for someone with muscular dystrophy to keep moving and keep active. And the other element is the physical maintenance side of things, physio and massage therapy are services I need so much.”
One team
Alan has worked with Stephen for many years, as part of a multi-disciplinary team. To prepare the programme, Alan identifies the physical demands of the sport, as well as considering Stephen’s individual needs.
Alan said: “For Stephen’s programme, the biggest demand for boccia comes from training in terms of having the capacity to cope with a large volume of practice throws and having the postural strength and endurance to maintain an effective throwing position throughout practice.”
“Over time we’ve evolved Stephen’s programme by looking at where we can intensify certain aspects. Due to the nature of Stephen’s condition, the programme focuses on maximising and maintaining key muscular qualities whilst minimising the risk of fatigue. This allows Stephen to accumulate the required volume of quality practice that ultimately pays off when he competes.”
In the lead up to Paris 2024, Stephen was traveling away for competitions and so regular physiotherapy services from Jesse Castillo were essential and focused on injury prevention, management, and helping with performance-based goals.
Jesse said: “I provided that home-based support, including linking in with Alan and performance lifestyle for any daily needs that Stephen required to excel in Paris. To ensure we provide a comprehensive level of care, I’ve also attended some of Stephen’s medical and surgeon appointments which helps us gather information and answer any questions Stephen may have.”
Stephen added: “I’ve still got a lot of soreness in my knee so Jesse will do a lot of massage, draining, compression and taping to offload the pain element. He’s been wonderful and is always there to help at every session.”
The perfect moment
A Paralympic medal was the only medal that Stephen had never won. He had been chasing this dream for 20 years and finally, he was crowned Paralympic champion with his older brother Peter in the commentary box and his family cheering from the stands.
Closer to home, his support team watched live in the office and there were huge celebrations. Alan said: “Everybody was really pleased and pretty emotional when Stephen won. It was a great experience to be part of that.”
Stephen said: “I remember my first session back in the gym, they were playing Freed from Desire which ended up being my song, and they put my name to it. The team also made a cake, it was wonderful and it’s great to be sharing these moments and bringing the medal back to show.”
Alan commented on Stephen’s commitment to the programme and boccia, saying: “Stephen epitomises professional behaviours in an athlete. His application in training is excellent, always committed and focused fully on what he's doing. It’s no surprise that Steven's a former world champion and current Paralympic champion and that speaks to the level of commitment and professionalism that Stephen approaches his boccia with.”
Find out more
- About SIS
- Gold For Stephen McGuire In Boccia BC4 🇬🇧 | Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
- Scottish Disability Sport
- Good luck ParalympicsGB! - Sport First
* The BC4 category is for athletes with severe physical disabilities who do not have cerebral palsy. These players often have limited strength, coordination, or movement in all four limbs, affecting their ability to throw the ball with precision.