News update! Canada qualifies for world rugby championships with dramatic win

SAO PAULO – Matt Debly scored the winning try with just 3.8 seconds remaining as Canada defeated Colombia 49-48 in overtime to win the bronze medal and qualify for next year’s world championships at the Americas Championships in wheelchair rugby.

It was a remarkable performance by the Canadian team which played in the tournament shorthanded with only eight players. The team went 3-0 in the preliminary round, lost in the semifinal to Brazil before bouncing back in the most important game.

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The 2026 Wheelchair Rugby World Championships are also in Sao Paulo.

‘’We had such a good time here, in this facility we couldn’t wait to get back,’’ said Debly.  ‘’We made sure we did.’’

In a game which Colombia led most of the way, Cody Caldwell, who scored the tying try to force overtime with eight seconds left in regulation, initiated the decisive play fending off two Colombian defenders at mid court to get the ball to Debly.

Debly then himself appeared stuck for a moment before dishing off to Caldwell again. He timed his next cross pass perfectly to Debly as he wheeled to the end zone.

‘’We fought hard all week, all tournament long,’’ said Debly, a 2024 Paralympian from Windsor Ont. ‘’To have it come together in that way, we’re over the moon, I’m just so proud of them.’’

Debly also played the defensive hero as he blocked a Colombian from the try line on the last play of the game.

The tournament also marked the first major competition for new head coach Trevor Hirschfield of Parksville, B.C.

Canada’s squad included five other Paris Paralympians:   Rio Kanda Kovac and Eric Rodrigues, both of Toronto, Cody Caldwell of Peterborough, Ont., Tony Létourneau of Montreal and Byron Green of Victoria.

Also on the squad was six-time Paralympian Patrice Simard of Quebec City and Yan Racicot of Montreal.

The USA defeated Brazil 61-47 for the gold to grab the other available spot at this tournament for the worlds. Brazil was already guaranteed a spot as hosts.

Kamylle Frenette retires from Para triathlon

Kamylle Frenette of Dieppe, N.B.,  will now focus primarily on her pharmaceutical career.

The two-time Paralympian in Para triathlon announced her retirement from the sport on Tuesday in a news release issued by Triathlon Canada.

“There’s never really a perfect time to retire,’’ she said.  ‘’But I always said I wanted to write my own ending while I still loved the sport, and I’m proud to be doing just that.’’

The 29-year-old  earned 21 podiums including five victories in her 30 international starts in her 10-year career on Triathlon Canada’s National Team.

She placed fourth in both of her Paralympic appearances (Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2020) and was third at the 2022 World Triathlon Para Championships in Abu Dhabi.

‘’I’m proud that I allowed myself to dream big, sometimes wildly big,’’ Frenette, born with a club foot. ‘’But more than anything, I’m proud of the person this sport has helped me become.’’

She graduated from Université de Moncton with a degree in biology in 2018 and earned a second degree in pharmacy from Dalhousie University in 2022.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was frontline healthcare provider in her community , delivering vaccinations while continuing her training.