Despite a packed crowd of supporters in the stands at the Richmond Olympic Oval, Team Canada fell to Australia 62-54 and claimed the silver medal at the 2014 Canada Cup International Wheelchair Rugby Tournament.
Though the game remained tied for the first half, the offensive firepower of superstars Ryley Batt and Chris Bond proved too much for the Canadians. In the third quarter, they fell behind by fi ve points. Though Zak Madell (Okotoks, AB) and
David Willsie (Dorchester, ON) were able to stem the tide, the Canadians never made up the ground they needed to mount of a comeback.
"We had three solid quarters of wheelchair rugby, but that lapse in the third quarter cost us," said Head Coach Kevin Orr. "That combination of Ryley Batt and Chris Bond is so deadly that if we want to beat them, we simply can't afford any mental lapses."
Next up for Team Canada is the 2014 IWRF Wheelchair Rugby World Championships, which will be held in Odense, Denmark from August 4th to 10th.
"The Canada Cup was an excellent learning experience for us and we made some huge strides as a team," added Orr. "Now, however, we're focused on our goal of winning gold at the World Championships." On Friday, Richmond MLA and Minister of State (Seniors) Alice Wong announced $50,000 in funding from the Government of Canada for the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association. The contribution, provided through Sport Canada's Hosting Program, was to support hosting of the 2014 Canada Cup Tournament.
"It is always exciting to have top-calibre international sport competitions in Canada, and I am thrilled to see this event taking place at the Richmond Olympic Oval, a legacy facility of the Vancouver 2010 Games. Thank you to all of the athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, and fans who have made this tournament truly memorable," said Wong.
