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Q&A – David Smith OBE prepares for boccia World Championships
We catch up with David Smith OBE, Paralympic Champion, World Boccia Team Member and Herbalife Nutrition Coach. David has been a Sirus customer for over ten years and loves his faithful VW Caddy Drive From Wheelchair vehicle. David drives around the country for boccia training and competitions.
How has your summer been?
My summer has been good! Been enjoying the weather since my competition in July and maintaining my fitness.
What’s happening in the world of boccia?
Due to the Rio World Championships being in December this year the season has had a bit of a double bubble feel. I’ve used August to rest, recover and reset ready to push on into the winter.
We hear your training has been full on?
Yes, due to the new rules in the sport this year has been quite turbulent when it comes to technical set up with the balls. So I’ve been spending a lot of time trying to find the right set for me. From a physical and performance aspect, I feel in really good form… I just need the balls to behave consistently so I can play freer.
The rule changes were around the balls we are allowed to use which meant after last session every player had to replace their entire set and it has lead to an element of inconsistencies within the balls that were previously more reliable. Plus the punishment for balls not matching the requirements is more severe.
Tell us about the forthcoming competition?
We have a trip to Rome next week for the World Boccia Intercontinental Challenger which will be good as it’s my first time in Italy. Whilst it’s a relatively minor event rankings wise, we have a very stacked competition so it’s a perfect time to return to competition before the World Championships.
How has your training schedule been?
My schedule is very consistent. I’m doing boccia training three times a week on court and five times a week for gym and conditioning work. I’ve got a daily nutrition plan through Herbalife which helps me manage the energy demands too.
Are you feeling confident about the competition?
Yes I’m confident the competition will go well and as long as I play well I’ll be fine. For me the results are less important than the lessons I can take to build on for the World Championships.
How is your faithful Sirus VW Caddy doing?
My VW Caddy is good, nearly six years old now and done well over 80,000 miles. Still getting 48-50mpg and does everything I need her to. She’ll be having a 10 day stay at Gatwick long stay car park soon!
The competition starts on 8th September. Watch this space for further updates from David.
If you would like to find out more about boccia, contact Boccia UK . You can follow David on his Instagram account – @smithy2389