Wheelies worlds draws announced
The Executive Council of the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) has announced the draws for the men's and women's world championships in Birmingham, England that will take place in July next year.
Australia’s Paralympic Gold Medallist men’s wheelchair basketball team has been drawn in Pool B alongside Mexico, France, Turkey, Algeria and Beijing Silver Medallist Canada.
Great Britain and the United States, who ranked third and fourth in Beijing, are on the other side of the draw in Pool A along with Japan, Poland, Italy and Korea.
In the women’s competition, Beijing Paralympics Bronze Medallist Australia has been drawn in Pool A along with The Netherlands, Great Britain, Mexico and Canada.
The United States and Germany, who won Gold and Silver in Beijing, have been drawn in Pool B along with Brazil, Japan and China.
Rollers head coach Ben Ettridge was happy with Australia’s positioning in men’s Pool B.
“The two pools are fairly even but I’d have to say that our pool may be slightly less experienced,” Ettridge said.
“Our pool contains a few unknowns for us in Mexico, France, Turkey and Algeria but each team has obviously done well to get to the worlds so no game will be easy and we need to win the early games to set us up for the crossover matches.
“Mexico beat Brazil at the IWBF Americas, for example, and Brazil was nearly a bogey team for us in Beijing, so that should be a challenging match up.
“Six teams (Poland, Italy, Mexico, France, Turkey, Algeria and Korea) did not qualify for Beijing but have qualified for the world cup so there has been some changing of the guard in world wheelchair basketball and we’ll have to be ready for that.”
Gliders head coach John Triscari was pleased with the women’s draw but stressed the importance of a good start for the Gliders.
“With the US and Germany on the opposite side of the draw to us, we need to win our preliminary games and win them well to secure a good seed for the crossover rounds,” Triscari said.
“If we do that, we’ll be in good shape to push on and achieve great things.”
Men’s and Women’s Pools for the 2010 IWBF World Championships:
Men:
Pool A: Japan, Poland, Italy, Great Britain, USA and Korea
Pool B: Mexico, Australia, France, Turkey, Algeria, Canada
Women:
Pool A: The Netherlands, Great Britain, Australia, Mexico, Canada
Pool B: Brazil, Japan, Germany, USA, China.
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