Paralympics 2024 Everything you need to know about wheelchair basketball
Wheelchair basketball is one of the most popular sports in the Paralympics, with more than 100 countries participating.
Wheelchair basketball is set to be one of the most anticipated events at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. With more than 100 countries actively participating in the sport, teams like France, USA, and Great Britain are expected to attract significant attention as they compete in this intense and fast-paced game.
Wheelchair basketball has its roots in post-World War II rehabilitation efforts. Initially designed to relieve the stress of wounded soldiers, the sport quickly gained traction. The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) notes that the first wheelchair basketball game was played in 1945 between two hospitals in the United States.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) provides further historical context, stating: “Wheelchair basketball first emerged in the United States around 1946, developed by wounded soldiers of World War II. . Most were able-bodied players who wanted to continue the sport. Simple adaptations for people in wheelchairs and minor rule changes allowed the sport to spread across the United States and eventually around the world.”
Wheelchair basketball made its debut at the 1960 Paralympic Games in Rome, where it was one of eight sports. In that inaugural competition, the United States won two gold medals, setting the stage for the sport’s future growth.
Today, wheelchair basketball has a global following, and continues to grow in popularity. The atmosphere at the Paris Paralympic Games 2024 is expected to be electrifying, with fans eagerly awaiting action-packed matches.
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Britain’s Warburton bags convincing opening win for his team at Paralympics wheelchair basketball
Great Britain’s Greg Warburton produced an extraordinary performance to lead his team to a 76-55 victory over Germany in the wheelchair basketball tournament at the Paris Paralympics on Thursday.
The 27-year-old, a two-time Paralympic bronze medalist in 2016 and 2020, scored an impressive 24 points to lead his country to victory in their opening Group A game at the Bercy Arena. “The opening game, obviously some nerves, but we got them out of the way early on,” said 27-year-old Warburton.
“We still have a lot of work to do, but first job in the books, good start.” The Lancashire native had both his feet amputated when he was six months old and developed an abnormality in his left arm, resulting in it being short and only having two fingers.
Despite being inactive, Warburton produced a dominant performance on the court.
However, the wheelchair basketball athlete was not satisfied with his performance: “It’s far from perfect. I still missed some easy shots. “But I’m happy with how the game went and most importantly “It’s an honor to play in front of such a good crowd,” he told the thousands of fans in the arena.
Great Britain started well, with captain Philip James assisting Warburton for his first two-pointer of the tournament. Germany’s Matthias Guntner led a fightback in the second quarter as the Germans overcame a slow start, but Great Britain still led 32-25 at the break even though Guntner found the shooting touch early and scored 19 points. will end with
During the third quarter of the game, Germany’s Thomas Boehm made a three-point shot that increased the chances for his team.
Despite this, 27-year-old Warburton and fellow athlete Ben Fowkes helped Great Britain score crucial points to extend their lead to 10 points.
In the final quarter, they proved too strong and cruised to a convincing opening win.
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