Leidy Chica, the first Colombian woman to win a Paralympic medal in boccia
Leidy Chica in competition at
Our Colombian pride won the bronze medal by defeating Noor Mat from Malaysia 7-1 in women’s individual category BC4.
Press Mindeporte
Bogotá, September 1, 2024. On Friday, June 8, 1990, in Cali, Valle del Cauca, a woman destined to make history in sports was born: Leidy Johanna Chica Chica, who is part of the Athlete Excellence program of the Ministry of Sports, in the Altius category, made history by becoming the first Colombian woman to win a Paralympic medal in boccia.
Leidy has been energetic, determined, and very disciplined since she was very young. These characteristics have allowed her to achieve her goals. She started in swimming, but after discovering boccia, thanks to her brother, also an elite athlete, she decided that her future would be in that discipline.
In April 2017, she joined the Valle Boccia Team. A month later, she was already showing her best version in a local competition. Since that moment, successes began to arrive like a cascade, driven by her tireless effort and unwavering will.
Her record is a testament to her greatness: in 2019, she won the silver medal in the BC4 pairs category at the Parapan American Games in Lima. In 2022, she became the individual champion at the World Boccia Cup in Rio de Janeiro and took home a silver medal at the World Boccia Championships in the same city. At the 2023 Parapan American Games, she reaffirmed her dominance by winning two silver medals in both individual and pairs categories.
Leidy’s greatest triumph came at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, where, in her second participation in this event, she stepped onto the podium. In a demonstration of talent, control, and precision, she defeated Noor Mat from Malaysia with a decisive 7-1, with scores of 2-0, 2-0, 3-0, and 0-1.
Each medal that Leidy wins has a special significance, but they all have the same recipient: her son, Juan Sebastián. He is her greatest inspiration and her driving force in every competition, supporting her unconditionally in every step of her career.
With this bronze medal, Leidy Chica has not only left an indelible mark in the history of Colombian sports but also demonstrated that dreams, when pursued with passion and effort, can become a glorious reality.
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