 The Montreal 2026 World Boccia Cup continues to be a test of resilience for Bermuda’s Yushae DeSilva-Andrade, as the 2025 Female Athlete of the Year suffered her second consecutive defeat in a tense Pool A encounter.
Facing off against Israel’s Orit Kelner, the world number seven was desperate to kickstart her tournament following an opening-day loss to the Czech Republic. However, in a match defined by tactical patience and razor-thin margins, it was Kelner who held her nerve to secure a 3-2 victory.
The match was a far tighter affair than DeSilva-Andrade's opener, with the Bermudian showcasing the precision that saw her climb into the world's elite top ten over the last twelve months. Despite trailing early, she mounted a late comeback to pull within a single point, but Kelner managed to obstruct the "jack" effectively in the final end to deny DeSilva-Andrade the equalizer.
DeSilva-Andrade said, “Unfortunately I lost my second match today 3-2 against Israel. It wasn’t the result I wanted but it was a very tight game. There was so much improvement for me in that game. Even though I didn’t win that game I’m extremely proud of myself. I have my final pool game tomorrow against Japan.”
The result leaves the Bermudian star at the bottom of BC1 Female Pool A and facing a nearly impossible task to reach the knockout stages. With only the top performers advancing, her final pool match against Japan’s Hiromi Endo now becomes a matter of pride and ranking points.
For DeSilva-Andrade, Quebec has so far proven a difficult hunting ground, but the narrow nature of this latest defeat suggests the clinical form that won her national honours is not far from returning.
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