'It hasn't sunk in yet' says teen picked for Paralympics

A teenage Boccia athlete selected for the 2024 Paralympics says the news "hasn't sunk in yet", describing the opportunity as "once in a life time".

Sally Kidson, 19, from Salisbury, Wiltshire, has qualified for the Paralympic Games in Paris alongside other ParalympicsGB members.

She describes the ball sport Boccia as an activity that anybody can get involved in but says it is "such a pity" it is not more widely known about, despite being one of the fastest growing disability sports in the world.

Sally says she was introduced to the sport at primary school and has played it ever since and is proud to compete at an international level.

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Boccia was originally designed for people with cerebral palsy, and is now played by people with a wide range of disabilities adding to its global popularity.

It is described as a precision sport in which the aim is for players to push coloured balls as close as possible to the white ball, also known as the Jack.

Sally says she recognises few people have an opportunity "like this" to compete at the Paralympics and said it was "absolutely crazy" to think she was going to be part of that.

"I'm so grateful for everything," she added. "It hasn't yet sunk in but I think it might when I'm on the train there or in the village?".

Sally Kidson will be travelling to Paris for the Paralympics Games

'No matter the severity'

Sally said if someone had asked her 10 years ago whether she would like to do a sport she would have said she would have "loved to" but she would not have had the confidence she would have "physically be able to".

She said: "Without sounding too cliché, Boccia really is a sport that everyone can do."

Sally added: "For me, I think being able to show other disabled kids that no matter the severity of their condition, there is a sport that they can do and be at the top of their level without being too physically able, is really important."