Adam Peska

Started: He began playing boccia at age 12. "I started training at the special school in Pardubice [in Czechia] and at the sports club TJ Lecebna Kosumberk. I learned about boccia from friends who played it. I tried it and liked it. Whenever there was time, my mum and I were practising, even in the corridor of my elementary school. From the beginning, I played boccia in the sports club called TJ Lecebna Kosumberk, where I learned to play. I graduated from high school in 2017 and was thinking about what I could do in the future. Around the same time, I received an invitation to represent my country in boccia, so I decided to give priority to boccia over my studies." (Athlete, 26 Aug 2024, 22 Aug 2021; ptcbio.com, 24 Oct 2022; paralympic.org, 24 Mar 2024) Reason: He was introduced to boccia through Parent Project, a non-profit organisation set up in Czechia by parents of children with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy. "Whenever there was time, my mum and I practised in the corridor at my primary school. When I started out in the sport, I was supported by my mother, who was my caddie and assistant. Later, other members of our family got involved and now we work as a team. Everyone helps. Boccia is very enjoyable for me. It is the driving force in my life." (paralympic.org, 24 Mar 2024; ptcbio.com, 24 Oct 2022; spastic.cz, 30 Aug 2019) Milestones: At the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo he became the first Czech player to win a Paralympic gold medal in the sport when he triumphed in the BC3 open individual event. It was also Czechia's first individual boccia medal at the Games. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jul 2024) Awards: He won the Best Male Debut award at the 2021 Paralympic Sport Awards. (worldboccia.com, 17 Dec 2021) Additional Info: FAMILY AFFAIR In addition to his mother serving as his ramp operator, his father helps build his equipment. "Essential for boccia is technical equipment - the ramp and, in my case, a helmet with antennas and a ball holder. My dad takes care of all these things. The ramp with which I won [Paralympic gold] in Tokyo was made by him and with the assistance of skilled people who helped him. My victory definitely wouldn't be possible without the patient helpers from my family." (paralympic.org, 24 Mar 2024) DEFENDING HIS TITLE IN PARIS He will aim to defend his individual BC3 title at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, and said he had made some small adjustments to his training since the 2020 Games in Tokyo. "[I have changed] some things, but not much. We tried to improve throws that I didn't excel at and also adjust tactics a bit. I have also got a different composition of my set of playing balls. The first goal [in Paris] will be to progress from the group stage, and I will want to give my best performance. Successfully defending it would be amazing." (paralympic.org, 24 Mar 2024) LOOKING BACK ON TOKYO He said his main goal at the 2020 Paralympic Games was to progress from the group stage, but he ended up winning gold. "Progressing from the group stage was considered a success and a goal. That happened. The most critical moments were during the quarterfinals against Ho Won Jeong, the defending champion from the Republic of Korea. Fortunately, I succeeded with the initial shots. A successful start to the match always brings me calmness, even though I am not nervous. This was repeated in the final against Greece's Grigorios Polychronidis. I knew I was playing against the favourite, and I would have been satisfied with a silver medal. But in the first inning, I took a 3-0 lead, and I saw that it could go well. However, I never thought I could win." He says the victory has helped boccia support him financially. "It helped improve conditions for our training and finances for competitions. I appeared at social events, and, consequently, more in the media. After Tokyo 2020, boccia has become a part of my job." (paralympic.org, 24 Mar 2024)

Sporting Relatives: His mother Ivana has served as his ramp operator in competitions, including at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, where he won gold. (paralympic.org, 24 Mar 2024; paralympic.cz, 17 Dec 2021)