Canadians will strive for a top spot at the World Wheelchair Basketball Championships in Hamburg, Germany. The men and woman’s teams will battle teams from around the world August 16-26, 2018. The competition takes place every four years. It is also the largest international parasport event outside of the Paralympic Games.
Belgium hosted the first official Men’s World Championships in 1975. The first Women’s World Championships took place 15 years later in France. Canada has played an important role in the event. For example, Canada was the first to host the first-ever men under-23 world championship in 1997. Later, Canada hosted the first woman under-25 championship in 2011.
The Canadian men and women’s teams will have their first game on August 17th. To begin with, the men are facing off against Morocco. Then, the women will take on Great Britain.
Canada is sending two great teams to the event. Indeed, the twenty four athletes picked to play for Canada include fifteen Paralympians. Their experience will help the teams as they go for gold. Below, a quick look at each team shows their promise.
Team Canada Women
The woman’s team will defend their title from the 2014 world championships. They are the team to beat. Indeed, the team has five gold medals and two bronze medals. Even more, they have reached the podium at every world championship since the first one held in 1990.
The women’s roster includes:
- Sandrine Bérubé – Beauharnois, Quebec
- Kady Dandeneau – Pender Island, British Columbia
- Erica Gavel – Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
- Melanie Hawtin – Oakville, Ontario
- Maude Jacques – Lac-Beauport, Quebec
- Puisand Lai – Toronto, Ontario
- Rosalie Lalonde – Saint-Clet, Quebec
- Tara Llanes – North Vancouver, British Colombia
- Cindy Ouellet – Quebec City, Quebec
- Tamara Steeves – Mississauga, Ontario
- Élodie Tessier – Saint-Germain-de-Grantham, Quebec
- Arinn Young – Legal, Alberta
Team Canada Men
The men’s team will try to get back to the podium this year. The men last held a spot on the World Championship podium in 2006 when they won the gold. Also, the men’s team has a total of six podium finishes from between 1986 and 2006.
The men’s roster includes:
- Patrick Anderson – Fergus, Ontario
- Vincent Dallaire – Quebec City, Quebec
- David Eng – Montreal, Quebec
- Nikola Goncin – Regina, Saskatchewan
- Bo Hedges – Wonowon, British Columbia
- Colin Higgins – Rothesay, New Brunswick
- Chad Jassman – Calgary, Alberta
- Lee Melymick – Toronto, Ontario
- Tyler Miller – Kitchener, Ontario
- Ben Moronchuk – Edmonton, Alberta
- Garrett Ostepchuk – Regina, Saskatchewan
- Jonathan Vermette – Sherbrooke, Quebec
Furthermore, you can keep up-to-date with the full schedule and scores by going to the Wheelchair Basketball Canada website: http://www.wheelchairbasketball.ca/event/2018-world-wheelchair-basketball-championships/. Be sure to support Canada’s teams as they go for gold!