Boccia European gold win 'huge' for Kidson
The 20-year-old beat defending champion, Sonia Heckel of France, 3-2 in the individual BC3 final in Zagreb, Croatia, earlier this month to win the gold medal.
"I'm very happy," Kidson told BBC Radio Wiltshire.
"It never hurts to win a big tournament like this and especially a major, but it's not all about that, it's about the momentum going into the rest of the year and ahead of the World Championships next year this sort of thing is huge."
Sally Kidson: GB's youngest Boccia athlete
Kidson, from Salisbury, made her Paralympic debut last summer for Great Britain in Paris where she was the youngest person on the team.
She was introduced to the sport in primary school and made her international competition in 2022, aged 17.
"The last Europeans [championships] I did in 2023, I literally came dead last and so to go from dead last to first place is absolutely mental," Kidson said.
Honouring former Paralympians
Kidson said the gold medal win was even more poignant following the deaths of her pairs partner Will Arnott and Great Britain team-mate Matt Berry at the end of 2024.
Kidson and Arnott's gold medal in the Paralympic Games qualifying event secured Great Britain a place in the BC3 category at last summer's event.
"It's nothing short of a tragedy to lose both Will and Matt at the tail end of last year," Kidson said.
Kidson worked with Arnott's long-time assistant Connor Welfare in Zagreb which she said made the event more special.
"This one especially, we know it was a big one because me and Connor Welfare, who was [Arnott's] assistant for 11 years, we thought it would be good to do this together and do it for the big guy," Kidson said.
"To be able to get a gold medal and also Zagreb is where Will had his first international competition and his first gold medal [in 2019].
"It was really special to be able to do it."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
FC Barcelona adds more firepower with Marcus Rashford loan
The post FC Barcelona adds more firepower with Marcus Rashford loan appeared first on ClutchPoints. FC Barcelona has secured another attacking threat, agreeing to a deal with Manchester United for Marcus Rashford on loan until June 30, 2026, per ESPN. The agreement includes an option for a permanent transfer, reportedly set at around €30 million ($34.9 million). Rashford, who will wear the No. 14 jersey, expressed excitement about his fresh start in Catalonia, calling Barcelona a club 'where dreams come true.' The move comes at a crucial point in Rashford's career. Once regarded as one of Europe's brightest young talents, the 27-year-old forward has struggled to find consistency in recent seasons, spending part of last year on loan at Aston Villa after falling out of favor at United. He had also been training separately from the first team in Manchester after coach Ruben Amorim made it clear he wasn't in his plans. Now, Rashford gets the opportunity to reignite his career on one of football's biggest stages. A new piece for Barcelona's loaded attack Barcelona, the reigning LaLiga, Copa del Rey, and Spanish Supercopa champions, already boasts an impressive attacking trio of Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Robert Lewandowski. Rashford's arrival adds depth, versatility, and valuable experience to the front line as the team prepares for another demanding campaign. The Catalan club initially targeted Spain international Nico Williams this summer, but his decision to sign a long-term extension with Athletic Bilbao redirected their attention toward Rashford. Despite having one of the most prolific attacks in Europe last season, Barcelona clearly wanted one more piece to maintain their competitive edge, especially as they aim to go deeper in the Champions League after falling to Inter Milan in the semifinals. Rashford, who came through Manchester United's youth system and debuted for the first team at 18 in 2016, now has a chance to revive his career while helping Barcelona chase more silverware. For both the player and the club, this deal has the potential to be transformative. Related: Venus Williams reveals engagement to actor after historic comeback win Related: Patriots' Stefon Diggs chasing around dog he almost lost is funniest thing you'll see today
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
How will Bradley choose end of Ryder Cup roster?
After Jordan Spieth candidly assesses his Ryder Cup chances, George Savaricas and Paige Mackenzie weigh the back end of the Ryder Cup U.S. Team picture and what could be the deciding factors in those last few spots.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Ryan: U.S. making Ryder Cup 'as messy as possible'
Golf Digest's Shane Ryan reacts to a Ryder Cup rules addendum with Keegan Bradley implications and critiques the way the U.S. Ryder Cup Team has complicated the roster situation ever since choosing Bradley as captain.
