(TORONTO, ONT.) Wheelchair Basketball Canada’s men’s and women’s 3×3 Commonwealth Games and Canada Basketball’s men’s and women’s 3×3 teams were named the winner of the People’s Choice Award for Most Trending Moment of the Year at the 45th Canadian Sport Awards on Wednesday.
In the debut of 3×3 basketball at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, all four Canadian teams won medals. The women’s wheelchair and stand-up teams won gold, the men’s wheelchair team won silver, and the men’s stand-up team took bronze.
“WBC would like to congratulate our men’s and women’s 3×3 teams on winning the award for the Most Trending Moment of the Year,” said Wheelchair Basketball Canada Executive Director Wendy Gittens. “Winning medals at the inaugural 3×3 wheelchair basketball competition at the Commonwealth Games this past summer was a tremendous accomplishment for our athletes.”
WBC’s Women’s 3×3 team became the first wheelchair basketball gold medalist in Commonwealth Games history when they beat Australia 14-5. Coached by Marc Antoine Ducharme (Chambly, Que.), the women’s roster included Kady Dandeneau (Pender Island, B.C.), Élodie Tessier (Saint-Germain de Grantham, Que.), Tamara Steeves (Mississauga, Ont.) and Tara Llanes (North Vancouver, B.C.)
Canada took silver on the men’s side after dropping an 11-9 decision to Australia in the gold medal game. Joey Johnson (Winnipeg, Man.) coached the men’s team, which included Colin Higgins (Rothesay, N.B.), Bo Hedges (Wonowon, B.C.), and Vincent Dallaire (Quebec City, Que.).
Created in 2020, the Most Trending Moment Award honours current or retired national team athletes who captured the virtual world by storm. The award highlights the magic that lives within sport to inspire and motivate all Canadians through innovative use of a digital platform, captivating athletic performance, or who’s digital actions have been a force for good.
About Wheelchair Basketball Canada
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 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 a combined six gold, one silver, and one bronze medal in the last seven Paralympic Games. For more information, please visit wheelchairbasketball.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