With the IWBF America’s Men’s Under-23 Americas Championship set to tip-off in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico next week (March 8-12), Canada’s U23 team has assembled in Edmonton, Alta. for a pre-tournament camp (February 28-March 4, 2022).Eleven athletes, including two returning members from the 2017 U23 World Championship in Garrett Ostepchuk (Regina, Sask.) and Ben Hagkull (Chilliwack, B.C.), are part of the roster set to compete in Mexico.“The Canadian U23 team has been anxiously waiting for the upcoming Americas Qualifiers with the World Championships postponed a year due to the pandemic,” said Darrell Nordell, Men’s U23 Head Coach. “We have trained together at times over the past year and have some future stars for our Men’s Senior Team making their debut at this international competition. Positive results will come if we play to our abilities.”Canada will compete against Brazil, Mexico, and the United States in Playa Del Carmen, with the top two teams securing qualification spots for the Men’s U23 World Championships.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.“We are excited to begin camp in Edmonton as we work towards our goals of securing a spot at the World Championships and competing for a medal in Thailand,” said Jeff Dunbrack, Wheelchair Basketball Canada High Performance Director. “Our athletes and staff are ready for the opportunity to participate in meaningful competition following the pandemic delays.” Under-23 Roster:Garrett Ostepchuk (Regina, Sask.) Reed De’Aeth (Sherwood Park, Alta.) Josh Brown (East St. Paul, Man.) Ben Hagkull (Chilliwack, B.C.) Collin Lalonde (St-Clet, Que.) Austin MacLellan (Fredericton, N.B.) Joel Ewert (Prince George, B.C.) Matthew Wilton (Winnipeg, Man.) Matthew Norris (Langley, BC) Bernard Rosello (Winnipeg, Man.) Gabriel Giguere (Drummondville, Que.)Head Coach:Darrell Nordell (Edmonton, Alta.)Assistant Coaches: Christian LaSerra (Richelieu, Que.)Ross Norton (Stony Plain, Alta.)Additional Support Staff:Dylan Carter (Toronto, Ont.) – Performance Analyst/Team ManagerPaul Murata (Toronto, Ont.) – Athletic TherapistFor more information on Wheelchair Basketball Canada and our teams, please visit wheelchairbasketball.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Press release & photo: Wheelchair Basketball Canada