McGUIRE Stephen

Classification
BC4 (worldboccia.com, 02 Aug 2021)

Origin of Impairment
Congenital (huffingtonpost.co.uk, 02 Nov 2016)

Impairment Details
He has muscular dystrophy and has limited use of muscles in his upper and lower body. (paralympics.org.uk, 25 Jul 2012)

General
MEDAL AMBITION
He says the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo may be his last Paralympic Games, and that this possibility has fuelled his ambition to make the podium in Tokyo. "The only medal I don't have is a Paralympics medal. I've had three world titles and medals of all sorts, but the Paralympics one is the one that eludes me. If I got that, what a great way to finish my career. That would be the icing on the cake. If somebody offered me a Paralympics bronze right now, I'd snap their hand off, take it and run. I have no regrets at all. I don't regret what I've done along the way. It would be the icing on the cake if I managed to get a Paralympics medal, and it would be a great way to, I suppose, bow out of the Paralympics side of things but if not, you never know. If it's my last Paralympic Games then I've had a great time, really enjoyed it." (dailyrecord.co.uk, 11 Aug 2018, 28 Feb 2020)

LOCKDOWN TRAINING
He continued to train from home during the COVID-19 pandemic and says it helped entertain his neighbours. "Throughout the pandemic I spent six months training from home. It's not been easy throwing boccia balls with only four and a half metres of space. I live in an apartment so I started throwing over the garden wall. Before I knew it, all my neighbours were out on their balconies shouting support and taking bets on whether I'd hit the target or not. It was a much-needed break from the news and for those who were missing watching sport, it gave them something to enjoy!" (boccia.uk.com, 01 Mar 2021)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
He has served as an ambassador for Muscular Dystrophy UK. (rio.paralympics.org.uk, 01 Sep 2016)