Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Players Selected to Compete at Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games

Twenty-four athletes selected to represent Canada in Chile, November 16-26

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 24, 2023 /CNW/ – Twenty-four wheelchair basketball players have been selected to represent Canada at the 2023 Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile, the Paralympic Committee announced Tuesday Canadian and Wheelchair Basketball Canada.

Santiago 2023 Canadian Parapan American Team — WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL — Women’s Team

Twenty-four wheelchair basketball players have been selected to represent Canada at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games, including (L to R): Puisand Lai, Pat Anderson, Cindy Ouellet, Blaise Mutware, Tara Llanes, Bo Hedges and Nik Goncin. (CNW Group/Canadian Paralympic Committee (Sponsorships)) Kady Dandeneau — Pender Island, BC Sofia Fassi-Fehri — Montreal, QC Melanie Hawtin — Oakville, Ont. Bethany Johnson–Winnipeg, MB. Puisand Lai–Toronto, Ont. Rosalie Lalonde — Saint-Clet, QC Tara Llanes — North Vancouver, B.C. Cindy Ouellet — Quebec, QC Desiree Isaac-Pictou–Eel River Bar First Nation, NB Tamara Steeves- -Mississauga, Ont. Élodie Tessier — Saint-Germain de Grantham, QC Arinn Young –Legal, Alb.

Santiago 2023 Canadian Parapan American Team — WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL — Men’s Team

Patrick Anderson — Fergus, Ont.
Vincent Dallaire — Québec, QC
Reed De’Aeth–Sherwood Park, Alb.
Nik Goncin–Regina, Sask.
Bo Hedges–Wonowon, C.-B.
Colin Higgins–Rothesay, N.-B.
Chad Jassman–Calgary, Alb.
Lee Melymick–Toronto, Ont.
Tyler Miller–Kitchener, Ont.
Blaise Mutware — Toronto, Ont.
Garrett Ostepchuk–Regina, Sask.
Jonathan Vermette — Sherbrooke, QC

Santiago 2023 is a qualifying competition for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Each of the tournaments (men’s and women’s) will provide a ticket to the Games next summer, as the gold medal winning team will automatically qualify.

Nine members of the women’s team competed at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, including co-captains Cindy Ouellet and Tara Llanes. Sofia Fassi-Fehri, Bethany Johnson and Desiree Isaac-Pictou will make their multi-sport Games debut in Santiago.

“We know that this is an important competition for qualification for Paris, probably the most important to date for this group,” says Ouellet. “There is an opportunity to be seized in Chile. We will compete to the best of our ability and we will be ready to do so. We know Brazil will give us a tough time, and the Americans are always formidable opponents. »

“We will do our best. We have worked on strengthening the team culture and we will be ready. »

The women’s team finished fifth in Tokyo and fifth at the 2022 IWBF World Championships in Dubai. It is the second team in the Americas rankings, after the United States.

At the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Kady Dandeneau and Arinn Young helped Canada win gold by defeating the United States.

The women will play in Group A against Brazil, El Salvador and Colombia. The competition begins on November 18 in Santiago and ends with the gold medal match on November 24.

The team will compete at the Parapan American Games in honor of Maude Jacques. A long-time member of the senior women’s national team, Paralympian at the London 2012 Games, Maud Jacques made her return to the sport this season after retiring in 2020. She died earlier this month at the age 31. She was to be part of the team that will represent Canada in Santiago.

“We will have a good team in Santiago. Our goal is to win,” adds Ouellet. “We’re going to play for Maude. »

On the men’s side, co-captains Nik Goncin and Bo Hedges, as well as Patrick Anderson, are among the 11 players who defended the colors of Canada at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Reed De’Aeth will make his debut at the Multi-sport games after wearing the national team uniform at the 2022 Americas Cup and the 2022 IWBF World Championships.

“We have a good group of athletes, and we’ve been consistent in the last few major events and tournaments we’ve competed in, which has allowed us to improve as we move forward,” Hedges said. “I am very excited to participate in the Santiago Games and I believe our team is ready for the tournament. »

Canada finished eighth in Tokyo and sixth at the 2022 IWBF World Championships. The country is ranked second in the Americas, behind the United States.

Canada won silver at the 2019 Parapan American Games, after losing to the United States in the gold medal game in Lima.

In Santiago, the men will face Argentina, Chile and Venezuela in Group A. The tournament will begin on November 18 and continue until November 25.

“It’s an important step in qualifying for the Paralympics, and it always has been,” adds Hedges. “Things are a little different today from a design standpoint, but you always had to perform well at the Parapan American Games to have an opportunity to go to the Paralympics. This is still the case today, and the competition has never been stronger in our zone, so it will not be an easy tournament. »

“Congratulations to the 24 wheelchair basketball players on being named to the team,” says Karolina Wisniewska, co-chef de mission of the Santiago 2023 Canadian Parapan American Team. “I know the athletes are eager and ready to compete for the country, and we are proud that they are wearing the Canada jersey. We also want to highlight the loss of Maude Jacques, who was an integral member of the team. We will all be behind the women’s team as they perform in Maude’s honor at the Games. We wish both teams the best of luck in Santiago, and we will be there to cheer them on. »

“I am delighted to welcome the women’s and men’s wheelchair basketball teams to the Canadian Parapan American Team,” added Josh Vander Vies, co-chef de mission. “The Parapan American Games have been on their calendar for months now, and this is an important tournament for them in their journey to the Paralympic Games. We know the teams will be focused and prepared, and as co-leaders, Karolina and I will support them all the way. »

The Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games will take place from November 17 to 26, 2023 in Santiago, Chile. Canada is expected to send a team of around 140 athletes.

Prior to official nomination to the Canadian Parapan American Team, all nominations must be submitted for approval to the Canadian Paralympic Committee.

The current list of athletes named to the team is posted HERE. The final list will be communicated before the start of the Games.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee: Paralympic.ca

About Wheelchair Basketball Canada: WheelchairBasketball.ca

SOURCE Canadian Paralympic Committee (Sponsorships)

Information: Contacts: Nicole Watts, Senior Manager, Communications and Public Relations, Canadian Paralympic Committee, [email protected] / 613-462-2700; Dhiren Mahiban, Manager, Communications and Digital Media, Wheelchair Basketball Canada, [email protected]

2023-10-24 23:20:18
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