Boris Nicolai
Boris Nicolai is Germany’s first boccia player to compete in the Paralympics. He discovered the sport by accident: when he was on holiday in Tenerife, boccia was offered as a leisure activity, and he was immediately won over. He promptly joined BRS Gersweiler-Ottenhausen, where his team colleague Anita Raguwaran also trains. His first milestone came just six months later: second place in the German championships. A phenomenal victory at the 2022 World Cup in Rio de Janeiro raised the profile of not only Nicolai himself but also boccia as a whole.
Shortfacts
Playerscard
- Year of birth1985
- ClubBRS Gersweiler-Ottenhausen e.V.
- ClassBC4
- Disciplineindividual and pair
- Disabilitymuscular dystrophy
- Professionmechanical engineer
Sporting successes
Success in sport often takes a fair amount of tailwind. I am grateful that URSAPHARM has my back.
– Boris Nicolai
ALL EYES ON – Boris Nicolai and Anita Raguwaran
We visited the two para boccia athletes at their last training camp before the Summer Games and talked to them about the upcoming major event.
MEDIA LIBRARY Boris Nicolai
Boris Nicolai FAQs
At the start of the game, a white ball called a ‘jack’ is thrown onto the court. The players then try to position their balls as close as possible to the white jack. Throwing, shunting or rolling down a ramp are permitted. The team or player receives a point for each ball that is closer to the jack than their opponent’s closest ball.
Boccia is very inclusive and can be played by people with various disabilities. The sport is also open to people with visual impairments, who have a touch board that displays the course of the game.
Each player uses six leather balls of varying hardnesses and surface types. The balls weigh 275 grams (+/- 12 grams) and have a circumference of 270 mm (+/- 8 mm).
Boccia is played as an individual, pair or team (three versus three). On an international level, players are split into four classes according to the athletes’ individual impairments. Athletes in two of the four classes are supported by assistants who carry out their instructions. The team events only have a mixed category, but men and women compete separately in the individual events.