Cover Boccia athlete Annie Cheung won two sliver medals in the women’s individual and the mixed pairs BC4 events at the Paris 2024 Paralympics (Photo: Issac Lam)
Boccia athlete Annie Cheung won two sliver medals in the women’s individual and the mixed pairs BC4 events at the Paris 2024 Paralympics (Photo: Issac Lam)
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Boccia athlete Annie Cheung tells us why there is more to boccia than meets the eye, and how she conquers her biggest enemy: stress
Before Hong Kong boccia athlete Annie Cheung made her Paralympic debut in Paris, her mother asked her to pick a thread colour for a lucky charm bracelet she was making for her. Her mother wanted her to choose gold, as it symbolises a gold medal, but the athlete opted for silver instead, thinking that it looked nicer. And maybe it was a coincidence or maybe it was fate, but the player went on to win two silver medals: in the women’s individual and the mixed pairs BC4 events with her partner Leung Yuk-wing.
As a child, Cheung says she was seen as “strange” by neighbourhood kids due to her different-looking limbs and shoulders resulting from arthrogryposis, a condition that causes stiffness of the joints and means she needs assistance with daily tasks such as brushing her hair. But she doesn’t let that limit her. “Although I have a disability, I didn’t encounter significant obstacles while studying at a special needs school. Playing boccia has taught me how to handle failure, as it is a competitive sport; it reminds me that I may not excel everywhere but it’s important to keep reflecting on improving,” she says.
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Above Cheung wears a Juun.J T-shirt from Lane Crawford and Weekend Max Mara skirt (Photo: Issac Lam)
Cheung wears a Juun.J T-shirt from Lane Crawford and Weekend Max Mara skirt (Photo: Issac Lam)
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Cheung first discovered boccia at the Hong Kong Red Cross Princess Alexandra School. At 14, she joined the Hong Kong team, but still treated the sport as a hobby. Gradually, though, she started to see it as more than just a game, coming to appreciate its unexpectedly strategic nature. “Although you play with only six balls, there is more to it,” she says.
The game requires players to throw or roll their six balls towards a white target ball; the winner is the person or team with the most balls near the target. But as Cheung explains, balls have different degrees of density, with each serving a specific function, such as rolling smoothly or pushing other balls. “By the middle of the game, as both players start throwing more balls onto the field, the outcome can shift significantly. Each move can greatly impact the result. You need to observe and analyse everything carefully.”
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Above Cheung wears a Pleats Please Issey Miyake outfit (Photo: Issac Lam)
Cheung wears a Pleats Please Issey Miyake outfit (Photo: Issac Lam)
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Turning professional after graduating from Hong Kong Shue Yan University in 2022, Cheung overcame a bout of imposter syndrome after winning a bronze medal at the Boccia World Championships held in Brazil that year. At the Asia Para Games held in Hangzhou the following year, she secured both a silver and a bronze medal. These accomplishments paved the way for her qualification for the Paralympics.
The youngest member of the Hong Kong boccia squad at this year’s Games, this 25-year-old says her biggest enemy has been stress. She has tried a variety of coping methods, such as working out a strategy with a psychologist and reading detective novels with exciting plots. Her most successful approach was sudoku: “Whenever I can’t fill in a number on the grid, I get really annoyed. Then I forget about being nervous.”
Above The bracelet Cheung's mother made for her before the athlete competed in this year's Games (Photo: Issac Lam)
The bracelet Cheung's mother made for her before the athlete competed in this year's Games (Photo: Issac Lam)
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After her success in Paris, Cheung now has her sights set on the next Paralympics in Los Angeles. “The road to success is always long, so we need to persist,” she says. With her hard-working attitude and commitment to the game, success is far from a fantasy—but maybe she should ask her mother to change the thread in her bracelet just in case.
Need to know: What is boccia?
Boccia was first introduced at the Paralympics in 1984 and has no Olympic equivalent. It is a precision ball sport, where players throw, kick or use a ramp to propel a ball onto the court, with the goal of getting closest to a “jack” ball. It is similar to bocce and designed for athletes with a disability affecting locomotor function.
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Credits
Creative Direction: Zoe Yau
Photography: Issac Lam
Styling: Cherry Mui
Stylist's Assistant: Alix Lefebvre
Hair: Him Ng
Make-Up: Jovy Chai
Set Design: Ip Siu, Naomi Chiu
Photography Assistant: Tong Tom, Jason Li, Riki Chan
Videography: Nelis Vansia, Vicky Cho, Jacob Chan
Production: Carlos Hui
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Based in Hong Kong, editor Yoyo Chow covers the people and ideas redefining Asia’s future—from cutting-edge innovation and AI to bold moves in sustainability and diversity. She also drives content for Tatler Gen.T in Hong Kong, a platform and community spotlighting the region’s next generation of startup founders, creatives and changemakers.
Before that, she was a video journalist producing content for international TV and digital platforms, including Reuters and South China Morning Post. If you have a powerful story to share, she’s all ears. Send press materials, event invites and any inquiries to yoyo.chow@tatlerasia.com.
