Six Ontario Athletes Selected for Wheelchair Basketball World Championships
Canada Names 2018 World Wheelchair Basketball Championships Rosters
(July 31, 2018 – OTTAWA, ONT.) Wheelchair Basketball Canada is pleased to announce the athletes selected to represent Canada as members of the Senior Men’s and Women’s National Teams at the IWBF World Championships from August 16-26, 2018 in Hamburg, Germany.
“We congratulate all of the athletes for their hard work and dedication in earning a spot on Team Canada for the 2018 IWBF World Championships,” said Wheelchair Basketball Canada High Performance Director Jeff Dunbrack. “We have two very competitive teams, backed by a strong leadership group and an incredible support staff, and we all look forward to an intense competition in Hamburg. We have made great strides in our development as a program as we hit the midway point in our quad and continue to build towards Tokyo 2020 and beyond.”
“What an exciting day for all the dedicated athletes who have been chosen to represent Canada at the 2018 IWBF World Championships,” said the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport. “This is an opportunity like no other. These athletes will not only have a shot at claiming the World Championship title, but they will also inspire many young Canadian athletes watching from home. I wish our Team Canada athletes the best of luck as they compete in Hamburg, Germany, next month. Canada supports you and is cheering you on!”
The combined Canadian rosters feature 15 Paralympians, five Paralympic gold medallists and seven world champions, alongside nine players who will compete in their first major international competition for Canada.
The athletes named to Team Canada are as follows:
Team Canada Men
Patrick Anderson (Fergus, Ont.)*
Vincent Dallaire (Quebec, Que.)*
David Eng (Montreal, Que.)*
Nikola Goncin (Regina, Sask.)*
Bo Hedges (Wonowon, B.C.)*
Colin Higgins (Rothesay, N.B.)
Chad Jassman (Calgary, Alta.)*
Lee Melymick (Toronto, Ont.)
Tyler Miller (Kitchener, Ont.)*
Ben Moronchuk (Edmonton, Alta.)*
Garrett Ostepchuk (Regina, Sask.)
Jonathan Vermette (Sherbrooke, Que.)*
Team Canada Women
Sandrine Bérubé (Beauharnois, Que.)
Kady Dandeneau (Pender Island, B.C.)
Erica Gavel (Prince Albert, Sask.)*
Melanie Hawtin (Oakville, Ont.)*
Maude Jacques (Lac-Beauport, Que.)
Puisand Lai (Toronto, Ont.)
Rosalie Lalonde (Saint-Clet, Que.)*
Tara Llanes (North Vancouver, B.C.)
Cindy Ouellet (Quebec, Que.)*
Tamara Steeves (Mississauga, Ont.)*
Élodie Tessier (Saint-Germain-de-Grantham, Que.)
Arinn Young (Legal, Alta.)*
*denotes Paralympic experience
On the men’s side, Canada will be led by head coach Matteo Feriani (Padua, Italy) and assistant coaches Joey Johnson (Winnipeg, Man.) and Nicolas Palmer (Laval, Que.). The women’s team coaching staff consists of head coach Marc Antoine Ducharme (Chambly, Que.) and assistants Jason Eng (Montreal, Que.) and Simon Cass (Victoria, B.C.).
The 2018 IWBF World Championships will feature 16 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams vying for the world title as the top athletes in the game showcase the elite skill, pure athleticism and dynamic speed that allows wheelchair basketball to captivate audiences around the globe. The event is a catalyst for promoting inclusion and marks the largest world championship in the history of the sport and one of the largest international parasport events outside of the Paralympic Games.
For more information visit wheelchairbasketball.ca or follow Team Canada along the journey to Hamburg on social media via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Wheelchair Basketball Canada
Wheelchair Basketball Canada is the national sport governing body responsible for the organization of the sport in Canada. It is a non-profit, charitable organization that is committed to excellence in the development, support and promotion of wheelchair basketball programs and services for all Canadians from grassroots to high performance. Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced, hard-hitting, competitive sport in which Canada is held in high esteem around the world for winning a combined six gold, one silver, and one bronze medal in the last seven Paralympic Games.
Media Contacts
Courtney Pollock
Manager, Marketing and Communications
Wheelchair Basketball Canada
W: 613-260-1296 ext. 203
C: 613-291-6721
cpollock@wheelchairbasketball.ca
Jody Kingsbury
Director, Marketing and Communications
Wheelchair Basketball Canada
W: 613-260-1296 ext. 206
C: 613-851-2337
jkingsbury@wheelchairbasketball.ca