Team Canada defeated Mexico 40-22 on Saturday

Canada’s men’s Under-23 team defeated Mexico 40-22 to win bronze at the IWBF America’s Men’s Under-23 Americas Championship in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico on Saturday.

Canada finished the tournament with a 3-2 record. The Canadians opened the tournament with a 59-35 loss against the Americans on Tuesday. The U23 squad rebounded to defeat Brazil 65-46 on Wednesday and Mexico 71-34 on Thursday. However, Canada lost 68-46 to Brazil on Friday.

“Anytime an athlete is asked to represent their country, it’s an honour,” said Darrell Nordell, Men’s U23 Head Coach. “The Canadian Under-23 group in Mexico have not only represented, competed, and faced many obstacles this past week; they continue to be ambassadors for Wheelchair Basketball Canada and our National Team program.

“Our culture is built around the experiences on and off the court. Congratulations to our U23 staff and athletes. We have shown our strength, perseverance, and determination to be leaders in the sport of Wheelchair Basketball.”

The United States and Brazil secured qualification spots for the Men’s U23 World Championship.

The U23 World Championship will take place from September 8-16, 2022, in Phuket, Thailand. The tournament will feature the top 12 countries from the four zones. The 2022 championship will be the seventh U23 tournament – Toronto hosted the 2017 competition where Great Britain won gold and Canada finished sixth.