(OTTAWA, ONT.) – Wheelchair Basketball Canada has unveiled the 12 athletes who will represent Canada at the IWBF Men’s Under-23 World Championship in São Paulo, Brazil, taking place from June 12 to 20, 2025.
Mathew Wilton (Winnipeg, Man.) is the lone returning player from the 2022 squad that finished 10th in Phuket, Thailand. The current roster features 10 athletes who competed at the U23 Americas Championship in Bogotá, Colombia, in April, including team captain Nasif Chowdhury (Toronto, Ont.).
“We believe this group puts us in the strongest position to succeed in São Paulo,” said Jeff Dunbrack, Wheelchair Basketball Canada High Performance Director. “Our players and staff are honoured to represent Canada and are determined to contend for a medal at the U23 World
Championship.”
Team Canada will host a four-day camp at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (875 Morningside Ave.) from June 5–8. Media are invited for interview, photos, and b-roll opportunities with the athletes heading to Brazil.
Media are asked to RSVP to Dhiren Mahiban at dmahiban@wheelchairbasketball.ca.
“The camp will provide us with an opportunity to review our systems and build chemistry leading into Brazil,” said Darrell Nordell, Team Canada’s Under-23 Head Coach. “Having recently qualified for Worlds and playing some excellent games, our athletes and coaches are excited to play on the international stage.”
The IWBF Men’s Under-23 World Championship will bring together the top 12 nations. Canada will compete in Group A alongside Australia, Israel, Germany, Türkiye and host nation Brazil.
Traditionally held every four years, the tournament showcases the best young talent in the sport. Athletes must be 22 years of age or younger to be eligible to compete. This year marks the eighth edition of the event. Canada captured back-to-back gold medals in 1997 and 2001.
Men’s Under-23 Roster:
Dylan Cannan – Innisfree, Alta.
Nasif Chowdhury – Toronto, Ont.
Cameron Gelowitz – Kamloops, B.C.
Simon Mazi-Keep – Niagara Falls, Ont.
Thai Milton – Toronto, Ont.
Brandon Louie – Don Mills, Ont.
Keaton MacEachern – Chilliwack, B.C.
Broden Nagle – London, Ont.
Ibrahim Odza – Toronto, Ont.
Bernard Rosello – Winnipeg, Man.
Jeffer Ward – Vancouver, B.C.
Matthew Wilton – Winnipeg, Man.
Head Coach
Darrell Nordell (Edmonton, Alta.)
Assistant Coach
Christian LaSerra (Richelieu, Que.)
Additional Support Staff
Paul Murata (Toronto, Ont.) – Athletic Therapist
Jeff Dunbrack (Halifax, N.S.) – High Performance Director
Hailey Roll (Mississauga, Ont.) – High Performance Coordinator
Jesse McNalley (Toronto, Ont.) – Performance Analyst
Team Canada Group Stage Schedule
(all times eastern)
June 12 – Brazil vs Canada – 5:00 p.m.
June 14 – Türkiye, vs Canada – 10:00 a.m.
June 15 – Canada vs Israel – 10:00 a.m.
June 16 – Australia vs Canada – 10:00 a.m.
June 17 – Canada vs Germany – 3:30 p.m.
Full tournament schedule can be found on the Under-23 World Championship event page.
Games will be live streamed on the IWBF YouTube channel.
About Wheelchair Basketball Canada
Wheelchair Basketball Canada (WBC) is the national sports governing body responsible for the organization of the sport in Canada. It is a non-profit, charitable organization committed to excellence in developing, supporting, and promoting wheelchair basketball programs and services from grassroots to high performance for all Canadians. Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced, hard-hitting, competitive sport in which Canada is held in high esteem worldwide for winning six gold, one silver, and one bronze medal over the last nine Paralympic Games. WBC will host the 2026 IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships from September 9-19, 2026.
For more information on WBC, please visit Wheelchairbasketball.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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For more information, please contact:
Dhiren Mahiban
Communications & Digital Media Manager
Wheelchair Basketball Canada
C: 416-574-6682
dmahiban@wheelchairbasketball.ca