British boccia champion David Smith aims to win gold at the World Championships in Seoul, South Korea, to reclaim the 'triple crown'—holding the world title, European championship, and Paralympic gold simultaneously. Smith, 37, last achieved this feat in 2018 when he won the World Championships in Liverpool while holding the 2016 Paralympic title and 2017 European crown. He took silver at the 2022 world championships and now seeks to regain the world title 20 years after his championship debut.
The Swansea-based athlete faces significantly stronger competition than when he previously dominated. Six players now rank among the sport's elite in his BC1 category, compared to just one or two rivals during his earlier reign. Smith acknowledged that merely "playing well enough" no longer suffices and he must perform at his absolute best to compete with the current field of talent.
Recent format changes have made building momentum harder, Smith said. Pool play has been reduced from three or four games to just two before knockout rounds, leaving no room for subpar performances. Despite the increased difficulty, Smith expressed confidence in meeting the challenge, with sights set on winning both the World Championships and the Los Angeles Paralympics.
