ParalympicsGB names wheelchair basketball squads for Tokyo 2020

Today ParalympicsGB named the 24 athletes who will represent Great Britain in Wheelchair Basketball in Tokyo, for both the men and women’s teams.

The team announcement saw both squads come together to celebrate the selection announcement at Loughborough University, where the teams have been preparing for the Games within strictly controlled training camp environments.

The GB Wheelchair Basketball Teams are currently ranked number 1 and 2 in the world for the men and women’s teams respectively and the men won a bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Both team selections feature a number of world-renowned wheelchair basketball players within their rosters as well as emerging stars of the game who will be representing their nation for the first time at a Paralympic Games.

The GB Men’s Squad, captained by two-time Paralympian, Barnsley’s Ian Sagar, features eight of the 2018 World Championship winning team including the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) Gregg Warburton. Legend of the sport Terry Bywater’s selection will see him representing Great Britain at his sixth Paralympic Games and Liverpool’s Abdi Jama will make his fourth Paralympic appearance they are joined by Harry Brown, Lee Manning and Gaz Choudhry who were all part of the Rio 2016 bronze medal winning team

Alongside these athletes are 2018 World Championship gold medallists Jim Palmer and James MacSorley and 2017 Junior World Championship gold medallists, Billy Bridge, Lewis Edwards and Ben Fox who will all be making their Paralympic Games debut.

Ian Sagar said: “Competing at the Paralympic Games is the pinnacle of any athlete’s careers so it’s always a huge honour to be selected to represent ParalympicsGB, an honour that will be even greater for me this time having been named captain. When I look back at the 20 years, I have been playing wheelchair basketball, I have got so many special memories but everything in the past pales into insignificance compared to what could happen in Tokyo.

“It’s going to be a really fierce competition out in Tokyo and we’re heading into the Paralympics as World and European Champions but we are just focused on ourselves and giving the British fans at home the best performances we can to make them proud.”

The women’s team, co-captained by Maddie Thompson and Amy Conroy, sees Watford’s Helen Freeman selected for her fourth Paralympic Games appearance. The GB Women’s Team has experienced a period of unprecedented success following the Rio Paralympics, where they finished in fourth place, claiming silver medals at both the 2018 World and 2019 European Championships. Twelve athletes from these history making squads feature in the Tokyo selection announcement. Established senior squad members Siobhan Fitzpatrick and Kayla Bell will be making their first appearance at a Paralympic Games in Tokyo, they will be joined by Lucy Robinson whose selection will be her senior GB team debut. Tokyo selection marks a second Games for Rio teammates Sophie Carrigill, Charlotte Moore, Joy Haizelden and Robyn Love. These talented athletes will be joined by Laurie Williams and Jude Hamer for their third Paralympics, both having competed in Rio and London.

Maddie Thompson said: “To be selected for my second Paralympic Games means everything to me. My first Paralympics at a home games in London was amazing, so to be selected for a second Games, after missing Rio to have a child, is an incredible feeling and something I am really proud of. Wearing the ParalympicsGB vest always fills me with enormous pride, and with the huge honour of being the team’s co-captain and knowing my son Zachary will be watching from home, it is going to be even more special in Tokyo. There really is no feeling quite like competing at a Paralympic Games and I am really excited to see what this team can achieve in Tokyo.”

The Men’s Team is coached by internationally acclaimed wheelchair basketball performance coach, Haj Bhania OBE, British Wheelchair Basketball’s Head of Coaching and Tactical Development. The Women’s squad coach for the Tokyo Paralympic Games is respected basketball and wheelchair basketball coach Simon Fisher.

ParalympicGB’s Wheelchair Basketball Team Leader Jayne Ellis commented on today’s selection announcement: “Today is simply an incredible day for our sport but most of all for our remarkable athletes. There have been times when we may all have questioned or doubted whether this day would actually arrive, but today’s selection announcement is richly deserved.

“Throughout the last 18 months I have watched in awe as time and time again these dedicated athletes have gone above and beyond, giving their all to this sport, completely focused on their ambition to represent their nation in Tokyo. For some this has been through converting garages into home gyms, and for others this has been sacrificing weeks away from their loved ones and family so that they can attend GB training camps.

“Today’s selection news should also be credited to the selfless loved ones and families of our GB teams, this incredible support network is truly the team behind the team and their unwavering encouragement and support of our athletes should not go unrecognised.”

Penny Briscoe. ParalympicsGB Chef de Mission at Tokyo 2020, said: “I am thrilled to welcome these talented Wheelchair Basketball athletes to ParalympicsGB to compete in this compelling team sport. Both the men’s and women’s teams have enjoyed really notable successes at recent World Championships and have an intriguing blend of youth and experience within the squads.

“I look forward to seeing them compete on the court at Tokyo 2020 next month and am sure they can replicate those recent successes on the biggest stage of all – the Paralympic Games. I would also like to recognise the incredible sacrifices each and every athlete and member of support staff has had to make to continue to train and prepare for Tokyo during a period of so much uncertainty.”

Around 240 athletes from 19 sports are expected to make up the British team that will compete in Japan, with further names to be announced in the coming weeks.

ParalympicsGB captured the imagination of the British public at London 2012 winning 120 medals in front of sell-out crowds with countless memorable performances.

The team eclipsed that performance at Rio 2016 winning an outstanding 147 medals including 64 golds to finish second in the overall medal table. The rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games will be staged from 24th August to 5th September.

ParalympicsGB Women’s Team

#4 Charlotte Moore (1.0) Coventry

#5 Sophie Carrigill (1.0) Wakefield

#6 Kayla Bell (1.5) Thatcham

#7 Helen Freeman (4.0) Watford

#8 Laurie Williams (2.5) Greater Manchester

#9 Jude Hamer (4.0) Exeter

#10 Amy Conroy © (4.0) Norwich

#11 Maddie Thompson © (4.0) Hope Valley

#12 Lucy Robinson (4.5) Leicestershire

#13 Siobhan Fitzpatrick (3.0) Coventry

#14 Joy Haizelden (2.5) Southampton

#15 Robyn Love (3.5) Ayr

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ParalympicsGB Men’s Team

#4 Gaz Choudhry (4.0) Ealing

#7 Terry Bywater (4.5) Redcar, Middlesbrough

#9 Harry Brown (2.5) Halifax

#10 Abdi Jama (1.0) Liverpool

#12 Gregg Warburton (2.0) Leigh

#13 Ian Sagar © (3.0) Barnsley

#14 Lee Manning (4.5) Peterborough

#15 Ben Fox (3.5) Swindon

#16 Jim Palmer (1.0) Chelmsford

#17 James MacSorley (2.0) Belfast

#18 Billy Bridge (3.0) Ellesmere Port

#20 Lewis Edwards (3.0) Littlehampton