Profile

Name: Josh Vander Vies

Age: 26

Height: 3’3″

Sport: Boccia (Individual and Pairs)

Best Result:
2009 Americas Cup – Montreal QC – Silver (individual)
2011 World Cup – Belfast, Northern Ireland- 4th (pairs)

Born without arms and legs, Josh Vander Vies is an active Canadian national team boccia player who competed in the 2004 Athens Paralympics and holds silver and bronze medals from the Americas Cup. A powerful inspirational speaker, Josh brings to corporate, government and community audiences the message that any obstacle can be shattered.

In 2006, Josh was elected to the International Boccia Committee as Athlete Representative by the boccia players of the world. Josh acts as Athlete Council Representation on the Canadian Paralympic Committee Board of Directors. He holds an honours double major in Political Science and French from the University of Western Ontario. He is also a 2003 national Terry Fox Humanitarian Award recipient.

Past Results:

2011 World Cup – Belfast, Northern Ireland
25th (individual) 4th (pairs)

2010 World Championship – Lisbon, Portugal
12th (individual) 5th (pairs)

2009 Americas Cup – Montreal QC
Silver (individual) — (pairs)

2008 Cheshire Open – Cheshire, England
– (individual) 5th (pairs)

2007 World Cup – Vancouver, BC
27th (individual) 9th (pairs)

2006 Croatia Boccia Open – Osijek, Croatia
– (individual) Gold (pairs)

2006 World Championships – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
18th (indvidual) 8th (pairs)

2005 Americas Cup – Mar del Plata, Argentina
Bronze (individual) Silver (pairs)

2004 Paralympic Games – Athens, Greece
11th (individual) 6th (pairs)

2003 World Cup – Christchurch, New Zealand
7th (individual)

Canadian National Champion
2009, 2008, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002