Canada concluded group play at the GIO 2018 IWRF Wheelchair Rugby World Championships with two matches on Wednesday, earning its first victory over Colombia before dropping to the United States.
With a dominant performance over the Colombians in Sydney, Australia, Canada posted a 59-46 win, its first of the tournament. It was a return to form for the Canadians, historically one of the top nations in the sport.
“We’ve got six guys here at their first World Championships, so you’re going to have your ups and downs,” said Canadian co-captain Trevor Hirschfield. “To come away with a win today and be able to move on to a good crossover is good for the guys.”
Later in the day, the Canadian squad fell to the USA by a score of 54-47. The Americans went undefeated in the preliminary rounds, finishing atop Group B in the standings.
Through five games, Canada’s record is 1-4 with a few close defeats making a difference. The team’s goal of finishing Top 5 at the tournament is still alive however, as Canada now moves into the fifth to eighth-place bracket and will take on Denmark in the next round. The Danes finished third in their group through the round robin.
Canada versus Denmark, with the winner advancing to play for fifth place, will be broadcast live on CBCSports.ca and the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Facebook page at 11:30 p.m. ET Wednesday night.
