Eight athletes chosen to represent Canada at Commonwealth Games
OTTAWA – (2022 – 07 – 22) – Commonwealth Sport Canada (CSC) and Wheelchair Basketball Canada (WBC) today announced the athletes who will represent Team Canada in wheelchair basketball at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, from July 28 to August 8, 2022.
The Canadian Men’s and Women’s teams head to Birmingham following a successful Americas Cup tournament. The Canadian Women’s team defeated the U.S. on Monday to win gold at the qualifying event for the World Championships. The Women’s team formally qualified for the Worlds in Dubai with their semifinal victory over Argentina on Sunday.
On the Men’s side, Canada won the bronze at the Americas Cup with a win over the hosts’ Brazil, on Monday. Last Saturday, the men’s team officially qualified for the World Championships with their victory over Colombia in the quarterfinals.
“Our men’s and women’s teams head to the Commonwealth Games following a successful showing at the recent Americas Cup,” said Jeff Dunbrack, Wheelchair Basketball Canada High Performance Director. “The Commonwealth Games will be an excellent opportunity for our athletes to showcase the game in the 3-on-3 format. The mix of talent on both teams puts Canada in a position to compete for medals in Birmingham.”
Commonwealth Games audiences are excited to watch this new live sport at the Games.
“3×3 wheelchair basketball is making its world debut at the 2022 Commonwealth Games,” says Scott Stevenson, Executive Director, Team Canada 2022. “The sport is expected to be a fan favourite given the speed and strategy involved. We know our Canadian teams will excel within the strong fields.”
Three-time Paralympian Tamara Steeves will be part of the women’s team representing Canada at the Commonwealth Games. The women’s team will also include Kady Dandeneau, Élodie Tessier, and Tara Llanes, who participated in their first Paralympic Games last summer in Tokyo.
“I am super excited to go. It’s the first team ever selected to go, which is exciting. I think we have a solid team, and I’m really excited to be a part of it,” said Llanes, captain of the Senior Women’s Team. “I’ve never participated in a 3-on-3 tournament before, and I think being part of a Games with stand-up basketball and being really integrated where there is a stand-up game followed by a wheelchair game, to me, that is really cool. So, I’m excited to be able to watch that and have them watch us.”
The men’s team will feature four-time Paralympian and the Senior Men’s Team captain, Bo Hedges. He will be joined by Colin Higgins, Garrett Ostepchuk, and Vincent Dallaire, who made their Paralympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games last summer.
“I think it’s going to be a great opportunity; I’m looking forward to the Commonwealth Games. It will be the first time wheelchair basketball is played at the Games, so it’s pretty neat to be part of the first Canadian wheelchair basketball team to play in a Commonwealth Games,” said Hedges. “It’ll be fun and exciting – it’s always cool to do something new, and the group we’ve got going is going to be fun to be around and experience that with.”
The Wheelchair Basketball 3×3 (WB3) competition will be held from Friday July 29 – Tuesday August 2 at Smithfield.
Birmingham 2022 will feature 19 sports and eight para-sports as part of its program with up to 4,500 athletes taking part. The Commonwealth Games are the only multi-sport event that feature equal standing for sport and para-sport events, and these 2022 Games will showcase the largest para-sport program ever. In addition, for the first time in its history, the Games will feature more medal events for women (135) than men (133).
The Men’s and Women’s Wheelchair Basketball teams which will represent Canada at the Birmingham 2022 includes:
Women’s Athletes:
| First | Last | Hometown | Event |
| Kady | Dandeneau | Pender Island, B.C. | Wheelchair Basketball |
| Élodie | Tessier | Saint-Germain de Grantham, Que. | Wheelchair Basketball |
| Tamara | Steeves | Mississauga, Ont. | Wheelchair Basketball |
| Tara | Llanes | North Vancouver, B.C. | Wheelchair Basketball |
Men’s Athletes:
| First | Last | Hometown | Event |
| Colin | Higgins | Rothesay, N.B. | Wheelchair Basketball |
| Bo | Hedges | Wonowon, B.C. | Wheelchair Basketball |
| Garrett | Ostepchuk | Regina, Sask. | Wheelchair Basketball |
| Vincent | Dallaire | Quebec City, Que. | Wheelchair Basketball |
Coaches:
| Position | First | Last | Hometown |
| Women’s Coach | Marc Antoine | Ducharme | Chambly, Que. |
| Men’s Coach | Joey | Johnson | Winnipeg, Man. |
Support Staff:
| Position | First | Last | Hometown |
| Senior Men’s Athletic Therapist & WBC Lead Therapist | Brett | Nagata | Toronto, Ont. |
| Senior Women’s Athletic Therapist | Paul | Murata | Toronto, Ont. |
ABOUT TEAM CANADA 2022
The 2022 Commonwealth Games will be host to 72 participating nations and territories taking part in the Games. The Commonwealth Games are a valuable opportunity as a steppingstone and development opportunity for Canadian athletes, coaches, and managers working towards Olympic and Paralympic success. Canada’s performance projection in 2022 is a top 3 ranking, in total medals, amongst all nations and territories competing. Commonwealth athletes won 80%+ of Canada’s medals at the 2020 Olympic Games
Team Canada’s dedicated mission team will provide an optimal environment by celebrating equality, diversity, and non-discrimination. This is in support of our goals needed to enable a best ever performance by Canadian athletes at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
ABOUT WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL
Wheelchair Basketball Canada is the national sports 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. For more information visit www.wheelchairbasketball.ca.
ABOUT COMMONWEALTH SPORT CANADA
Commonwealth Sport Canada (CSC) is the franchise holder for the Commonwealth Games and the Commonwealth sport movement in Canada. CSC is an active, contributing member of the Canadian sport community and supports Canada’s athletes to achieve excellence at Olympic, Paralympic Games, and world championships. The mission of CSC is to enrich the lives of youth across the Commonwealth and host the Commonwealth Games. CSC is responsible for all aspects of Canada’s participation in the XXII Commonwealth Games and will be sending a team of almost 400 of Canada’s best athletes and coaches to compete for Canada. The upcoming Games will occur in Birmingham, England from July 28 through to August 8, 2022. For additional information go to: www.commonwealthsport.ca.
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For more information, please contact:
Dhiren Mahiban
Communications & Digital Media Manager
Wheelchair Basketball Canada
416-574-6682
dmahiban@wheelchairbasketball.ca
Caroline Sharp
Media Attaché – Wheelchair Basketball
Email: Caroline.Sharp@athletics.ca
(613) 323-5605
Patrick Kenny
Communications Team Leader – Team Canada 2022
Email: patrick@commonwealthsport.ca
613 724 7160