Sports
Canadian wheelchair rugby player Mike Whitehead looks to score against team Japan.
Photo courtesy Kevin Bogetti-Smith/BC Wheelchair Sports
Richmond hosting wheelchair rugby tournament
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The 2022 Canada Cup International Wheelchair Rugby Tournament will take place this weekend at the Richmond Olympic Oval.
Two years after placing fifth at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, the Canadian men’s wheelchair rugby team will compete in its first international competition from June 2 to 5. This will be the first Canada Cup since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Canada will compete against six other teams: the United States, Great Britain, Denmark, Australia, Japan, and France, all teams that Canada faced in Tokyo in 2020.
Teams will initially participate in a round robin that lasts until June 4, before heading into their fourth day where the top four teams will play for three medals.
The Canada Cup aims to provide an opportunity for the top teams in the sport to get competition ahead of the World Championships and Paralympics.
“It’s definitely exciting to be bringing high-level wheelchair rugby back to Richmond, hosting seven teams in the world rankings,” says communications and marketing lead Nathan Bragg.
He adds that Team Canada’s fans are in for a fun tournament, “considering the team won second in the Americas Championship, and fifth at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, where the only teams they lost to were the top two teams who reached the finals.”
Bragg hopes that with the return of the event will also come the return of fans.
“We’re really hoping we get a ton of fans, as it is a really cool and exciting international sports event. It’s great to have fans at the venue as they add to the atmosphere—athletes benefit from it, coaches enjoy it, so we’re definitely hoping for a good turnout,” he says.
Tickets are available for purchase online.
Children under 12 years old watch for free. People can also watch online at sportscanada.tv.
For more information about the tournament, visit www.canadacupwcrugby.com
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