Yushae DeSilva-Andrade has won a silver medal in the women’s boccia at the Parapan Am Games in Santiago, Chile.

DeSilva-Andrade’s final round-robin match was effectively a gold-medal decider after both her and her Brazilian opponent, Andreza de Oliveira, had won their first two matches.

In a tight encounter, DeSilva-Andrade fought back to level the match in the final end and take it to a tie-break, which she lost by one point.

National boccia coach Troy Farnsworth was pleased with DeSilva-Andrade’s fighting spirit against a higher-ranked opponent.

“Yushae had another amazing match and came back from behind,” Farnsworth said.

“She was down by two points going into the final end and had to make some really critical shots with a lot of pressure, which she was able to do.

“She tied the game up 3-3, forced the game to a tie-breaker then it literally came down to one shot in the whole match. The Brazilian just put it where she needed to and unfortunately Yushae didn't have enough balls left, so that was pretty much it.

“Yushae was playing the world No 1, a Brazilian player who is top of the rankings so to be level with the world No 1 at a major international competition, and beaten by a shot with pretty much the last throw of the game, was also a phenomenal effort. Despite losing, she still picks up a silver medal, which is great.”

Earlier in the day, Bermudian Omar Hayward suffered a heart-breaking defeat to just miss out on a bronze medal.

Hayward surrendered a 3-0 lead to lose 4-3 to Brazilian José Carlos Chagas de Oliveira, who he had beaten in the group stages.

In the second meeting of the competition between the two, it was Hayward who raced to a 3-0 lead at the close of end two, but De Oliveira clawed his way back into the match with a point in end three before he secured the bronze with three further points in end four.

Farnsworth expressed his joy at the performance produced by both Bermudian athletes.

“Both were amazing matches and they could have gone either way,’’ Farnsworth said.

“Omar went 3-0, right at the end the Brazilian clawed his way back and scored some points in the final end to beat him by one point.

“Omar fought to the very end, he was playing the world No 5 player, a player that’s been playing at the top of the rankings for many years. To push him in the semi-final of the Parapan Am Games, amazing effort.

“Omar’s put a lot of work in, as has Yushae over the years, so really deserves a lot of credit for playing for a medal. It’s just unfortunate he couldn't get the medal, but I am very proud of his efforts.

“Fourth and a second, Bermuda boccia athletes at a major international, I couldn’t ask for much more.”