Rio Kanda Kovac Rio Kanda Kovac

Rio Kanda Kovac is one of the youngest member of the national wheelchair rugby team in 2024 at age 21. Kanda Kovac was born with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder that causes motor and sensory neuropathy. As a child, they always dreamt to compete in the Paralympics and when they were 14, they purchased their first wheelchair rugby chair.

In September of 2018, Kanda Kovac was invited by assistant coach Dave Willsie to train with Team Canada in Misawa, Japan. They have not looked back, and since has moved to Toronto and been with the team the past three years.

Off the court, Kanda Kovac helped with the rebranded World Wheelchair Rugby (WWR) with their debut trailer in 2021 called Here to Win.

He was a member of Canada’s silver medal winning teams at the 2023 Parapan American Games and 2024 Paralympic Games qualifying tournament.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2023 Parapan Am Games… 2022 Americas Championships…

PERSONAL

University of Arizona studying Business Marketing…. Ambassador at Cheelcare, a mobility company specializing in wheelchairs https://cheelcare.com/ … Speaks Japanese…

NOTABLE INTERNATIONAL RESULTS

2023 Parapan American Games 2nd

2022 Americas Championships 2nd