Canadian Para power trios Hall of Fame bound

TORONTO – Canada’s men’s and women’s teams etched their names in the record books in 2025 claiming double gold at the inaugural IWBF 3×3 Open World Championships – a moment that will be commemorated with an induction into the Wheelchair Basketball Canada Hall of Fame.

For Canada, it was an opportunity to build on the success at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where the women captured gold and the men earned silver.

“It was very cool. It was the first 3×3 Worlds,” said men’s tournament MVP Colin Higgins. “To kind of break that barrier, see what it’s like, play against some teams in a format we haven’t had a lot of experience before in, and then to come away with gold was a really special experience.”

Lee Melymick, Garrett Ostepchuk and Vincent Dallaire rounded out the men’s roster.

While winning gold was the goal, developing the game was also important for the Pender Island, B.C. Kady Dandenau of the women’s team

“To have the double gold, that was awesome,” said Dandeneau. “I think any athlete is a pretty big fan of winning. Gold medal games are great, but it’s cool to be the first ever gold medalists in 3×3 wheelchair basketball. A neat little notch on the resume.”

Élodie Tessier, Puisand Lai and Tamara Steeves rounded out the women’s roster.

(Wheelchair Basketball Canada)

Paralympic Games medallists inducted into Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame

Paul Tingley, Scott Lutes and Logan Campbell who joined forces to win the bronze medal in the Sonar at the 2016 Paralympic Games will be inducted into the Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame’s class of 2026 later this year.

The trio was among 12 inductees announced by Sailing Canada.

Tingley, from Halifax,competed in five consecutive Paralympic Games earning three medals. In addition to his bronze in Rio, Tingley also won bronze in Sonar at the 2000 Paralympics with David Williams and Brian MacDonald and gold in the 2.4mR at the 2008 Games.

Other career highlights for Campbell, from Saskatoon, include a victory at the 2016 Miami World Cup, and third at the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup.

Lutes, from Montreal, won a Para sailing world title in 2019 after finishing third in 2018 as well as a bronze medalist (with John McRoberts) at the 2023 World Sailing Championships.

The induction ceremony will take place Sunday, October 4, 2026, at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax.

(With files from Sailing Canada)