For over a decade Jacob Thomas has graced the game of Boccia but has decided that it is time to call time on his beloved sport after becoming the first Pembrokeshire Paralympian in London but sadly missing out on selection for the Rio Paralympics despite being still ranked in fourth place in the world.
 
Jacob certainly played with the top quality that marked his performances right until the day he decided, after discussing the matter closely with parents Mike and Caroline, that it was time to call a halt to the total commitment necessary at regular training camps and competitions all over the world.
 
In the recent UK Championships he finished as champion in his category, beating one of the chosen Paralympians by 7-1 in the final, and had previously won a silver medal in the pairs at the 2016 World Open in Poznan, Poland.
 
These terrific performances followed equally impressive displays the previous campaign when he claimed the gold medal in the Barcelona Continental Cup and the bronze in the pairs, the silver medal in the World Open Singles in Poznan, and the bronze in the pairs in Povoa, Portugal.
 
Jacob had also produced a wonderful display of Boccia as far away as China in 2014 at the World Championships in Beijing, where he picked up the bronze in the singles and the silver in the singles.
 
It was a similar story in 2013 at the World Student Games in Sao Paolo, Brazil, where Jacob won the coveted gold medal after previously claiming the pairs’ bronze in the European Championships.
 
These examples of his outstanding commitment and ability made it easy to understand why Jacob had been selected for the London Paralympics – and mystifying as to why he missed out for Rio after being world-ranked No 1 at one stage in 2015 and was still ranked No 4 when he decided it was time to retire.
 
I had the privilege of joining Western Telegraph sports editor Gordon Thomas and reporter Fraser Watson in London and it still ranks alongside watching Roger Federer on centre court at Wimbledon or visiting the Millennium Stadium to see Wales take on New Zealand for the first time in terms of there being a real WOW factor!
 
Even those two hardened reporters would willingly admit it was a memorable day!
 
Jacob didn’t win a medal at London but showed why he is so highly ranked before just missing out to Grigoris Polychronides, his old rival and great friend from Greece.
 
Such a high level of competition seems a million miles away from his start at Brynconin Primary School in 2004 when his one-to-one Jayne Thomas thought it would be good for him to give the game a try.
 
Then Sian Bowen, who was Disability Sport Officer at Sport Pembrokeshire, ran a tournament at the Meads Leisure Centre and Jacob joined school pals Sioned Roblin, Rebecca Roblin and Christopher Boyes to beat Fishguard in the final.
 
He quickly developed his prowess and when he travelled to a boccia tournament in Cwmbran he was asked to join Boccia Blasters, who were based in Cardiff and trained fortnightly in Barry.
 
Training was eventually relocated to Pencoed, near Bridgend, and the Welsh Academy started to take shape, with 2006 a milestone as Jacob finished second in the BC4 category, which was for Boccia players able to roll the boccia balls to the jack, and then followed up by being selected for Wales and winning the CP Sport South-Western Regional Boccia Tournament in Cheltenham.
 
Angela Miles was also heavily involved when she became Disability Sports Officer and things were clearly taking off when the Crymych Panthers started up in the local leisure centre and he travelled to Sheffield with the Welsh squad for the British Nationals and at the Cheshire Open Tournament he partnered Anthony Hughes to the silver medal to mark a further stage in his rapid learning curve!
 
There was further success in the category in May 2008 when he came second in the Welsh Nationals in Cardiff and then won the BC4 championships in Liverpool, performances which resulted in Jacob winning the Sport Pembrokeshire Awards disability category.
 
2009 marked another huge step when Jacob decided that although he was being invited to British training camps he was unable to make the progress he wanted in terms of having the necessary power to match his outstanding tactical awareness and after family discussion and talks with coach Jim Thompson opted to join the BC3 class, where competitors use a ramp to knock the ball into its chosen area.
 
Jacob used a spike on top of his helmet to release the ball from the ramp, with Mike having the role of placing the angle of the ramp and the height from which the ball can be released, but without speaking to Jacob or looking where the balls were situated, operating only on Jacob’s instructions.
 
He set out with a borrowed ramp and featured in S4C’s children’s programme ‘Mosgito’ showing him play, and started regular training sessions at Haverfordwest Leisure Centre which began to pay off with second place, partnered by Gareth Stafford, in the Cheshire International Open in Wigan.
 
In August 2009 Jacob had a spinal rod operation and perhaps returned too soon because he had for him what was a disappointing performance at the GB Nationals in Nottingham but his resilience shone through and by the start of the following year he attended a fast-track Camp in Sheffield and then travelled to the Riverland Cup in Holland for his first international against the likes of Sweden, Belgium, Germany and Austria.
 
It was a real boost and Jacob went on to win the Welsh National title and later competed in the Cheshire Open against Portugal, England and Ireland.
 
But the high point of that period came at five training camps in Bath University where his performances earned him a score of 167 on a nine-point skills test, the highest ever by a Great Britain BC3 player.
 
It would be fair to say that Boccia had by now become Jacob’s life and in October 2010 he became British Champion in Stirling, Scotland, followed by being picked for the GB squad and winning an international friendly in Barcelona, as he did with both competitions the following season.
 
Then came the vital Test Event for London 2012, where he won gold in the pairs and bronze in the singles, as he did in Portugal for the Boccia Masters and then another British singles title to confirm his place in the Paralympics!
 
It was an epic time for the whole family and especially for dad Mike, mum Caroline and sister Polly, who all have given Jacob total support and who are greatly valued by Jacob, as are the countless supporters and friends who are too many to name.
 
As Mike told us,
"James and our family would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved with supporting him and helping him in what has been an amazing career.”
 
So what of the future for Jacob? At the moment he is taking a deserved rest but might consider some coaching of a sport in which he has been outstanding, or even consider some involvement in another sport where his special assets could be used.
 
He is absolutely to be congratulated on his amazing achievements and especially on the dignified way he has behaved in his final year – we are indeed lucky to have such a special young person in our midst in Pembrokeshire!