Paris 2024: Jeralyn Tan makes history with Singapore’s first Paralympic boccia medal

By Nicole Chia

One of Jeralyn Tan’s interests outside of boccia is digital design and the 35-year-old, together with her coach and competition partner Yurnita Omar, created a path to Singapore’s first Paralympic boccia medal. On 2 September, Tan bagged a silver in the women’s individual BC1 event after a courageous fight in the gold medal match, where she succumbed 5-4 to home favourite Aurelie Aubert.  

This is Singapore’s third medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Singapore’s medal tally now stands at 2 golds and 1 silver, with swimmer Yip Pin Xiu winning both golds.

Tan is only Singapore’s fourth Paralympic medallist, joining an esteemed group comprising Yip and fellow swimmer Theresa Goh, and equestrienne Laurentia Tan.

Singapore boccia player Jeralyn Tan won a silver in the women’s individual BC1 event on 2 September at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Credit: SportSG/Eng Chin An

She said: “This is the first boccia Paralympic medal for Singapore. I am very proud to have achieved it during my debut Paralympic Games. Coming to this Games was an honour. The Paralympic Games is the pinnacle of any athlete’s sporting career, and it definitely was a great learning opportunity for me.”

In boccia, athletes in the individual event compete over four ends and each player throws six balls with the aim of getting their ball closest to a white target ball known as the jack. After each end, the player whose ball is closest to the jack scores one point, with an additional point for every ball nearer to the jack than the opponent’s closest ball.

Singapore boccia player Jeralyn Tan during the final of the women’s individual BC1 event on 2 September. Credit: SportSG/Jeremy Lee

The individual events at the boccia competition in Paris have been separated by gender for the first time in 40 years. Apart from the first boccia competition in 1984, all events at the Paralympic Games have been mixed gender until this year.

Tan had a nervy start to the gold medal match, in contrast to her French opponent’s imperious form in the first two ends. The Singaporean trailed 0-5 at the halfway mark, but made a plucky comeback in the third end to win three points and put herself on the scoreboard. She needed two points in the fourth and final round to force a tiebreak, and was in good position to do so with her last ball after Aubert opted to forgo her final two throws. But her ball swerved wide for world No. 16 Aubert to take victory at the South Paris Arena.

Boccia player Jeralyn Tan's supporters at the women's individual BC1 event at the South Paris Arena. Credit: SportSG/Jeremy Lee

“The biggest challenge was the pressure of knowing that it would be either a gold or a silver. But I was happy that it was a close loss, and I gave it my best,” said Tan, who first picked up boccia in 2008 when she was a student at the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore school.

“I was nervous coming into this match as it was the gold medal match at the Paralympics level, but with the support of my coach Yurnita, we were able to work through our nerves and end off strong. Although it was a pity I did not achieve the gold medal, I hope to do better at the next Paralympic Games.”

World No. 2 Tan, whose cabinet of silverware includes two Asean Para Games bronzes and three World Boccia Cup titles, had been undefeated leading up to the battle for gold. She won both her preliminary round matches – one of them against Aubert – and overcame the top-ranked Andreza Oliveira of Brazil in the quarter-finals, before beating Japanese bronze medallist Hiromi Endo in the semi-finals.

Boccia player Jeralyn Tan and coach Yurnita Omar at the gold medal match of the women’s individual BC1 event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Credit: SNPC/Goh Si Wei

Coach Yurnita, who has been working with Tan since 2016, was proud of her charge for finishing strong, saying: “Coming into this match, we were all nervous. But as the match progressed, Jeralyn (got into) her comfort zone and she managed to overcome her nerves towards the end. We will continue to work on our mental conditioning efforts.

“It was great knowing that we have the support here in Paris and back home in Singapore. Although it was not a gold medal, we are still very much grateful for the experience and hopeful for what comes next.”

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games take place in Paris, France from 28 August to 8 September 2024. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.