GB’S TWELVE UNVEILED IN PREPARATION FOR THE 2019 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
All eyes have been keenly focused on the GB men’s training and selection camps over the last few weeks, as Haj Bhania and Steve Caine, GB Men’s Team Coaches, prepared to announce the squad for the forthcoming European Championships in Poland (30 August to 8 September).
Fans of the squad may well have spotted the inclusion of some new and returning players on the teams’ social media posts from these camps.
GB’s number 11 Phil Pratt will once again Captain the squad as they focus on the European Championships and qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Five-time Paralympian, Terry Bywater will notch up his tenth European Championships appearance in Poland.
He is joined by fellow legends of the GB line-up including Liverpool’s Abdi Jama (3 x Paralympics/6 x Europeans), World Championships superstar Simon Brown (2 x Paralympics/4 x Europeans) and Ealing’s Gaz Choudhry (2 x Paralympics/4 x Europeans).
Included in the squad line up are the World Championship power forwards George Bates and Lee Manning, MVP Gregg Warburton, and starting five regular Harry Brown.
Welcomed back to the GB line up is Barnsley man and two time Paralympian Ian Sagar, the 3.0 player having taken some time away from the team following the Rio Paralympics dramatic Bronze medal win. During his break from the team Sagar, who played for Italian side Braintea84, took time to write a biography about his wheelchair basketball journey.
Making his international senior team debut is junior World Champion, Ben Fox. The Swindon player has made an impressive recovery after taking time out of the programme in 2018 for major surgery - demonstrating the remarkable grit of this young player and an impressive return to form.
Completing the squad is 2.0 player and Rio Paralympian Kyle Marsh.
Commenting on his squad selection and looking towards the August European Championships, GB Head Coach Haj Bhania OBE commented:
“As a team we are in a very good place. The last year has been incredible for the GB team and demonstrated what we are capable of, however by no means has it allowed us to sit still. We are only as good as our next game, and as a squad we fundamentally understand this.
“This team has been relentless in their determination to push forwards and improve as individuals but also as a team. In Hamburg we laid bare that Championships are won by the team, not just one player.”
TEAM LIST:
|
Vest |
Name |
Classification |
|
4 |
Gaz Choudhry |
4.0 |
|
5 |
Simon Brown |
2.0 |
|
6 |
Kyle Marsh |
2.0 |
|
7 |
Terry Bywater |
4.5 |
|
8 |
George Bates |
4.5 |
|
9 |
Harry Brown |
2.5 |
|
10 |
Abdi Jama |
1.0 |
|
11 |
Phil Pratt |
3.0 |
|
12 |
Gregg Warburton |
2.0 |
|
13 |
Ian Sagar |
3.0 |
|
14 |
Lee Manning |
4.5 |
|
15 |
Ben Fox |
3.5 |
SCHEDULE:
|
Date |
Time (BST) |
Fixture |
|
31 August |
18:00 |
ITA v GBR |
|
1 September |
15:15 |
GBR v SUI |
|
2 September |
13:30 |
AUT v GBR |
|
3 September |
13:00 |
GBR v POL |
|
4 September |
13:30 |
GBR v GER |
For media enquiries, please contact British Wheelchair Basketball:
Email: l.pilling@britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk
Tel: 01509 279900
NOTES TO EDITORS:
About Wheelchair Basketball
Wheelchair Basketball is a fast-paced and fast-growing sport that allows non-disabled and disabled people to compete together in its domestic leagues and competition. It is a sport of skill and physicality on the court and provides competitors with the tools to become more resilient and independent in their everyday lives. In a recent survey, 78% of members said that wheelchair basketball has had a positive impact on their mental health, and 21% of all national league players are non-disabled.
There are currently 17,000 people playing the sport in the UK, with a potential participation growth of up to 70,000.
At elite level, the Great Britain men’s senior team have won eight Paralympic medals, they are the current World Champions (2018) and have been European champions three times in a row. The GB women’s senior team are 2018 World Championship silver medallists, 2019
European silver medallists and hold European Bronze medals six times in a row. The GB junior men are current U23 World Champions. The GB Junior women are current U25 World Championship Bronze medallists, 2015 U25 World Champions and also two time U24 European Champions.
Britain has the largest women’s league in the world and has experienced a 50% increase in university participation in the past few years.
To find out more about British Wheelchair Basketball please visit www.britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk.
Dan Mills
promote – sport & fitness pr
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