A Gwynedd man has proven himself to be a top class sportsman and may be on the road to Paralympic glory.
Boccia player Ashley LeCras, 32, from Llanrug is ranked number two in Wales in the BC4 class after coming runner up in the national championships at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on April 11.
Boccia is a sport for wheelchair users, similar to bowls or French boules. It is played on a badminton court and the aim of the game is to propel a set of coloured balls and position them closer than those of your opponent to a white marker ball or jack.
Ashley, a member of the Porthmadog-based CIL Dragons team, will now have the opportunity to compete in the British national event at Scotland in October. Ashley hopes to become a member of the Welsh academy and a member of the Welsh national squad and his long-term target is to compete in the 2012 London Paralympics.
Team-mate Robert Jones from is also at the top of his game and is ranked fourth in Wales.
Ashley said that he was delighted with his achievement.
“I would like to thank Mark Roberts who is the head coach at CIL Dragons for helping my development and achieving what I have. I would also like to thank my sister Hilda Duckworth for supporting me and helping me with transport,” he said.
Marcus Politis, Gwynedd Council’s Disability Sports Development Officer, said “CIL Dragons was the first disability sports team to be set up in Gwynedd six years ago and today there are 30 disability sports opportunities throughout the county.
“Ashley’s success shows what can be achieved – he joined a grass roots level club and has gone on to represent Wales.”
Because of his success, Ashley will receive the North Wales Gold Card allowing him free access to training facilities throughout the region, as well as the Arfon Talented Sports Person Grant.
CIL Dragons meet every Thursday at Glaslyn Leisure Centre. The club is keen to enrol new members and anyone interested in joining – or getting involved in any disability sport in Gwynedd – should contact Marcus Politis, Gwynedd Council’s Disability Sports Development Officer on 01758 704109 or 07766 505320.
