Four proud bocce athletes were selected for the Special Olympics World Games to be hosted in Berlin, Germany in June 2023.
They are from Victoria: Andrew and Vicky Robbins (husband and wife team), and with Georgianna Mouratidis. Making up the fourth player is Stuart Gorton from Queensland.
Also, from Queensland is head coach Jeff Stewart, assisted by Kerry Perkins women’s coach.
Bocce Australia is an all-inclusive sport, and we are so proud to have four Aussie Bocceroos compete in the Special Olympics World Games.
The Special Olympics World Games is the world’s largest inclusive sports event. Thousands of athletes with intellectual disabilities compete together in 26 sports, of which bocce is one of the most popular sports.
The Games includes nine days of exciting and inspiring competitions, by athletes and for athletes. From June 17 – 25, the Special Olympics World Games will take place in Berlin – and it’s the first time that Germany will host the Games!
We caught up with Anna Mouratidis, proud mother of Georgianna, and asked her to tell us about Georgianna’s journey into bocce sport and how she’ll soon be competing at the Games.
In the meantime, if you would like to donate and support Georgianna, you can via this link.
Georgianna’s road to Berlin, as told by her mother
Georgianna plays bocce once a week with two other Melbourne West athletes at Club Italia in Sunshine, Victoria.
Georgianna joined Special Olympics Victoria in 2015 training and competing in Ten Pin Bowling. She started playing bocce the following year, and in the last State Games at the Veneto Club in Bulleen, Georgianna played well enough to gain first place in her division.
What an amazing day it was when Georgianna received an email to ask her if she would represent Victoria in the national games in Launceston. The entire family celebrated with her and were very proud of her achievement.
The goal was to come home with a medal. It didn’t matter whether it was bronze, silver or gold, but if she didn’t that would be okay. We knew she would always try to do her best.
In Launceston, Georgianna competed firstly in the doubles where she and her partner won her first gold medal. The next day she competed in the individual competition where she played two outstanding games, 20 to 0 and 15 to 2. We had to wait for the following day to hear that she had won her second gold medal.
On the final day of competition Georgianna played with two other fellow Victorians and again the result was a gold medal.
To go to Launceston with the hope of one medal but instead coming home with three was beyond what Georgianna or any of the family and friends dreamed would happen.
In December last year, Georgianna was selected to represent Australia in Berlin in June 2023. The overwhelming surprise and joy of the entire family is indescribable. Georgianna was crying speechlessly, I (her mother) was jumping up and down running from one person to the next to share the news.
We could not be any prouder of her effort and achievement than we are.
Written by Anna Mouratidis (mother of Georgianna)