SHEFFIELD, England – Canada’s men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball teams were both drawn to compete in their respective tournament’s Group A for this summer’s Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
In the women’s event, Canada, which qualified for Tokyo when it won gold at the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, is joined in Group A by Australia, Great Britain, Germany and host Japan. Great Britain and Germany were second and third at the 2018 world championships. The Group B teams are reigning world champions Netherlands, defending Paralympic champion USA, China, Spain and Algeria.
The Canadian women were fifth at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio and are vying for a first medal since a bronze in 2004. At the 2018 world championships, Canada was also fifth in women’s play.
On the men’s side, Canada’s opponents in Group A are South Korea, Spain, Turkey, Colombia and Japan. Group B teams are defending Games champion USA, Australia, Great Britain, Germany, Algeria and Iran. Great Britain, USA and Australia were 1-2-3 at the worlds in 2018.
Former International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president Sir Philip Craven called Group B “the pool of death” after draw for Tokyo 2020 was completed.
The Canadian men, who qualified for Tokyo via a silver medal at the Lima 2019 Parapan Am Games, are looking to reclaim their spot as a world power in the sport after an 11th place at the 2016 Paralympics and 12th at the 2018 world championships.
The competition schedule for wheelchair basketball at the Tokyo Paralympic Games will be released at a later date.
