Hamilton boccia king Steph McGuire mingles with royalty ahead of hometown Christmas lights switch on

Paralympic champion Steph McGuire rubbed shoulders with royalty earlier this month after meeting King Charles and Princess Anne.

And now Hamilton’s boccia king is preparing to switch on the town’s Christmas lights tomorrow, having come through the darkest stage of his lengthy career to take gold in Paris last summer.

A fall in 2022 that resulted in a broken leg and knee led to a lengthy recovery period, with Steph fearing he would never play again.

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It took 18 months to convince himself that he could be competitive, and even then he achieved the last available slot in Paralympics GB, heading to France.

But the 40-year-old is enjoying a year to remember having won gold in Paris and then receiving the Eric Liddell Award, which recognises 20 Scottish people who have made a remarkable contribution to their communities, alongside athlete Eilish McColgan.

He has also attended a reception at Buckingham Palace, and been nominated for the Team Scotland and sportscotland Scottish Sports Awards, which will be given out at Glasgow Science Centre on Wednesday, December 4. Steph is in the Para Male Athlete of the Year category alongside Stephen Clegg (swimming) and Fin Graham (cycling), while his coach Claire Morrison is up for Coach of the Year.

And Steph says pressing the button on Quarry Street this Saturday is a real honour in his home town, but acknowledges that he has earned it for winning the biggest of his many prizes.

He told Lanarkshire Live Sport : “To get over that line after 20 years, and in this cycle in particular, having the worst injury ever, being out for a year not knowing if I was going to be able to compete again, and then coming away with the biggest prize, has been incredible. I’ve worked hard for it.

“That was the toughest, because I have played for quite a while now, and the question that is often asked is ‘when are you retiring’ because I’m that old!

“That was a tough time, because maybe the decision was taken out of my hands, and that took a lot. It took over 18 months

just to prove to myself that I was competitive enough to go again.

“There was a bit of stubbornness in there, because I wanted it on my own terms, but also the fact that Paris was a possibility and that kept me going.

“I’m glad I did! I was a late call-up, it was July 1 that I found out, and six weeks later I was at the Games, playing.

“I literally got the last spot on the GB team but also in BC4 boccia males, and came away with the gold medal.”

Steph added: “Since then it has been very good, everyone has been so nice and it has been awards season, I’ve got lots of awards things and events, and been invited to certain places, which has been very nice.

“On November 1 we had the Eric Liddell Awards at John Watson College in Edinburgh, receiving an award from Princess Anne, which was lovely.

“On November 7 we were at Buckingham Palace for a medallist reception for Olympians and Paralympians down in London, which was incredible, it was such a lovely day.

“Again Princess Anne was there, but I also got to speak to King Charles for about 20 seconds, which was very nice. He was asking if boccia was a new sport, but it gave me the opportunity to explain what it is and promote it a little bit, which was very nice.

“I’ve been nominated for the Team Scotland Awards in Disability Male Athlete of the Year, and that one is an extremely tough category, everybody who is nominated is more than deserving of the award.

“I’m absolutely delighted for Claire to be nominated. I’ve worked with her for over 12 years and it has been a journey in that time of finishing fourth in the Paralympics three times, but with so much success as well.

“I became World and European champion a few times, and finally got the most prestigious one in Paris.

“It has been a journey. Twenty years of playing boccia, striving for something, and our sport comes down to millimetres – there’s no guarantees.”

McGuire will relish switching on his hometown lights for Christmas 2024.

He said: “What an honour! It’s something I always went to, and it’s a great event. To be asked to go and turn on the lights, is incredible. It’s always busy, my friends and family will all be there, and it will be such a great occasion. I’m looking forward to that.

“I lived in Hamilton all my days, it means a lot to me, and it’s great that I can come back with a gold medal and share it with everybody.

“There have been a lot of people who have helped me along the way and who have supported me – like you guys at Lanarkshire Live
and local businesses, and the public in and around Hamilton. It has been brilliant.

“Hopefully it’s a really nice occasion, and I’m sure it will be.”