Australian athlete Daniel Michel — who is living with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 2 — and his ramp assistant Ashlee McClure took home the bronze medal for men’s boccia at this year’s Tokyo Paralympics. The win was Australia’s second Paralympic medal in boccia — the first since 1996 — and the country’s first-ever individual medal for the sport.

Michel, 26, was one of Australia’s top prospects for boccia at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics (which was postponed until this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic). He and McClure secured their reigning spot after claiming a 6-1 victory over Scott McCowan (Great Britain) on Sept. 1, earning them the bronze medal in the men’s BC3 individual boccia.

Paralympian Daniel Michel competed in boccia at the 2016 Rio Games and the 2020 Tokyo Games. (Sport the Library)

Boccia is one of only two sports in the Paralympics that is not also in the Olympics. In this strategic, precision-based sport, players attempt to throw six balls as close as possible to the target ball, called the “jack.” Competitors may use assistive devices and receive support from an assistant, depending on their class (used to identify the nature and impacts of the player’s physical abilities).

Michel is a BC3 player. The BC3 class is reserved for athletes with neurological or non-neurological conditions that limit the functionality of their arms and legs. BC3 players are allowed to use a specialized ramp and receive help from a sports assistant to strategically aim and propel the ball toward the jack.

Michel has noted that his strong trust in and connection with his ramp assistant, McClure, has helped him in achieving his athletic goals. In a video published by the Australian Paralympic Team, Michel stated, “Ashlee is my sports assistant. Essentially, we are in this sport together. It’s a very, very deep and personal relationship. I mean, our lives and our goals are so linked.”

Since beginning his journey with boccia at the age of 15, Michel has had an impressive athletic career. In the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Michel was the first Australian to compete in boccia since the 2000 Sydney Paralympics. He has played across the globe with McClure in the United States, China, England, Hong Kong, Poland, South Korea, Thailand, Canada, Colombia, and Dubai.

You can learn more about boccia on the International Paralympic Commitee website.