David Smith suffers double disappointment in Paris

By James Toney in Paris

David Smith suffered double disappointment to be denied another Paralympic boccia podium place.

Smith, who won men's BC1 gold in London, Rio and Tokyo, narrowly lost his semi-final to Korea's Sungjoon Jung and then was edged out by arch-rival, Indonesia's Muhamed Syafa, in the bronze medal match.

The 35-year-old from Eastleigh is Britain's most successful player in the sport but claimed his luck finally ran out in Paris.

"I’m more disappointed about the semi-final, that game was the toss of a coin," he said.

"I had a feeling that was the game I needed to win to win the top prize. On another day, I would have won that game comfortably 7-0 but the boccia gods were playing with me.

"I wasn’t really thinking about the medals, just playing as well as I could. I gave myself the best possible chance, I just ran out of gas.

"I knew I would lose at some point, it’s just unfortunate it happened in a semi-final I should have won. Playing a bronze medal match against my biggest rival, it could have gone either way.

"This competition is definitely the toughest one I’ve ever played in. The depth in the sport is so different to when I won gold in Rio. In Tokyo, there were a few more, but it was still mainly me and a couple of others. I’ve been clinging on to being world number one with my fingernails knowing there are people ready to take it."

Smith will still have a chance to add to his collection of five Paralympic medals when he lines up alongside Claire Taggart and Kayleigh Haggo in the team event.

"Claire also lost her bronze medal match so we've got a few things to put right," added Smith, who hasn't won a team medal since London 2012.

"It wasn't to be in the singles but it's great you can focus on a new event straight away and I think we've got a good chance."

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