This October, our 2024 US Bocce Champions head to Turkey to take on the best bocce players from 27 countries in the 2024 World Bocce Championships. All four USA athletes won 1st place in our US Nationals in June. Three of them then competed with Canada’s top players to earn the opportunity to represent not only the USA, but also North America.
Veteran player Jose Botto, who has won Silver and Bronze World Championship medals in 2015 (Italy) and 2019 (Argentina), will compete in the Men’s Singles event after winning in the 2024 Nationals. In 2023, he also won Gold in a “Friendly” Men’s Singles invitational tournament in Italy vs 9 of the world best men’s players. Botto, a native of Argentina and national champion there, has been in the USA for over 20 years, winning several USA Champtionships, too. The famous Palazo di Bocce is Jose Botto’s home club in Michigan.
Courtney Strickland, Anthony LaBarbera and Tom Holleman are competing in the World Championships for the first time. Although they are new to the world bocce stage, these powerful players, all from the Chicago area, have been relentlessly training since the end of June and are ready to face the challenge. Strickland was unstoppable in the 2024 USA Nationals, winning Gold in the Women’s Singles, Mixed Doubles and Women’s Precision Shooting and is entered in all 3 events in Turkey. LaBarbera was remarkable in the 2024 US Nationals, winning Gold in the Mixed Doubles with Strickland, and also Bronze in Men’s Singles, Silver in the Open A Bocce Tournament and Silver in Men’s Precision Shooting. He’ll join Strickland on the courts in Turkey in the Mixed Doubles tournament. Holleman was victorious over LaBarbera and 20 others in Men’s Precision Shooting to secure his spot on the USA Team. All three play out of the Highwood Bocce Club, of which Tom Holleman is the president. Anthony LaBarbara is also a long time member of the Mazzini Verdi Club in the Chicagoland area.
In September, our national champs for Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles and Mixed Doubles competed with Canadian champions in a playoff championship. North America is able to send a team for each of these events and USA successfully swept all three. There are 20 teams playing in these events. Each country in the world is offered the opportunity to send an athlete to play in both the Men’s and Women’s Precision Shooting Championships. No playoff was required for this event in North America or any other continental region. Besides Tom Holleman from the USA, others playing from North America are Canadian, Matt Lippa, and Mexican American, Memo Macalpin.
Joe Quartarone, the USBF International Director and Eastern VP will represent the USA as Head of Delegation and coach. He served in this position for the 2019 World Championships (Argentina) and 2016 Pan American Championships (Brazil). Additionally, he is a certified PRV referee and also an experienced tournament director for US Nationals and International Tournaments held in the USA at Methuen Sons of Italy.
The World Championships dates are October 24 – 27, 2024 in the resort city of Kemer in the Province of Antalya in Turkey, on the Turkish Riviera. Practice is on Wednesday, October 23rd. Turkey is 7 hours ahead of the Eastern Standard Time. Check back for info on schedules and live streams, and follow our Facebook and Instagram pages for updates.
Please reach out to us if you are interested in joining the US Bocce Federation as an individual member or club member or have questions.
Thank you, Michelle Holleman, for preparing our national Press Release.
