Australia has been drawn in Group B alongside Spain, Brazil, South Africa, Malaysia and the United States for the inaugural tournament contested by men's and women's mixed teams, while Canada, Japan, Mexico, S weden, Turkey and host nation France make up Group A.

The team contains two Paralympians, Gold Medallist Dylan Alcott and Bronze Medallist Cobi Crispin, who represented Australia with the Rollers and Gliders respectively at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing.

The team will be coached by Mark Walker, who was the head coach of Australia's men's wheelchair basketball team that won a Gold Medal at the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta.

"We've got a well balanced team, we're excited about the challenges ahead and we're aiming for Gold," Walker said.

Western Australia is the most represented state among the playing group with five athletes heading to Europe, ahead of New South Wales with four, Victoria with two and Queensland with one.

The team will undergo a final training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport from June 5-8 before departing from Sydney to London on June 28 where it will play practice matches against Great Br itain from July 1-4 before arriving in France on July 5.

AUSTRALIAN UNDER-23 WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL TEAM

Dylan ALCOTT, VIC
Christopher BARTY, WA
Jannik BLAIR, VIC
Cobi CRISPIN, QLD
Adam DEANS, WA
Bill LATHAM, NSW
John McPHAIL, NSW
Amber MERRITT, WA
Nicholas RADOVICH, WA
Kim ROBINS, WA
Shawn RUSSELL, NSW
Colin SMITH, NSW

Head Coach: Mark WALKER, VIC
Assistant Coach: Ben OSBORNE, NSW
Assistant coach: Tom KYLE, QLD
Physiotherapist: Miranda WALLIS, VIC
Manager: Linda ROSS, NSW


TOURNAMENT GROUPINGS:

Group A: Canada, Japan, Mexico, Sweden, Turkey, France
Group B: Australia, Brazil, Malaysia, South Africa, Spain, USA

 

For more information please contact:
Bill Baxter
Basketball Australia
T: 02 9469 7218
M: 0423 378 644
E: bill.baxter@basketball.net.au