A NEW sporting activity has arrived in Farnham fresh from the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.

The precision ball sport of boccia, similar to bowls or petanque, was one of the most popular events at the Rio Games and more than 50 countries are registered with the Boccia International Sports Federation.

It’s one now of the fastest growing sports in the country and Great Britain won one singles gold medal at Rio courtesy of former Alton College student David Smith.

Organiser David Gill said: “We have a wonderful range of top quality community sports clubs in Farnham but boccia is a significant sport that Farnham Sports Council has deemed to be missing from the town’s sporting portfolio, so we’ve done something about it.”

Taster sessions are being held at least up until Christmas at the David Lloyd Club, thanks to a partnership between the club, Farnham Sports Council and Waverley Borough Council, and backed by Boccia England and Active Surrey.

David added: “We are grateful to all those key organisations for encouraging and supporting this new sports opportunity for Farnham. We’re especially grateful to councillor Pat Frost who sponsored some of the boccia equipment and to Emma Das from Waverley and Chloe Smith at the club.

“Once the taster sessions have finished, then we hope to formally establish a Farnham Boccia Club in the new year.”

The first session was led by one of Surrey’s top boccia leaders, Katie Gatt, from Redhill. She was impressed with standard of some of the players on the first session.

Katie added: “I saw some great potential on my first visit and I hope the sport is successful in Farnham. Although it’s a sports which is now played mainly by people who have any kind of neurological impairment that affects their motor function, increasingly it’s becoming played by anyone of all ages and abilities.

“It’s a sport for everyone, it’s skilful and it’s great fun. The boccia taster sessions in Farnham are for anyone interested to try out. Give it a go!”

Boccia has its roots in ancient Greece where players threw large stones at a stone target, and the sport was played in Britain in market places and in the streets during the Middle Ages.

The modern version uses coloured leather balls which participants have to throw, roll or guide towards a white jack.

Taster sessions are held weekly until December at the David Lloyd Club on Sundays from 6pm to 7.30pm. Just turn up to register.