Six goalball athletes named to Team Canada for Paris 2024 Paralympics
All six were part of the team that won Parapan Am Games gold in November.
Canada’s women’s goalball roster for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games was named on Tuesday, with six experienced athletes named to the squad.
The team features Brieann Baldock, Whitney Bogart, Amy Burk, Meghan Mahon, Emma Reinke, and Maryam Salehizadeh. This group has represented Team Canada together for several years now, making up the roster for the 2023 Parapan Am Games, 2022 world championships, and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
The group won the gold medal in Santiago last November, which booked their ticket to Paris. There was only one qualification spot left for the Americas for Paris 2024, meaning Canada needed to win the tournament — which they did by defeating the United States 4-3 in the final.
The situation was the same for the Canadian men’s team, but they finished third and did not qualify for Paris 2024.
Burk is the most experienced player on the team, and will be heading to her fifth consecutive Paralympic Games.
“Being named to the Canadian team is a huge honour,” said Burk in a press release. “Paris will be my fifth Games and it's just as exciting at my first. Our team has come a long way from our disappointing ninth-place finish in Tokyo; we have worked so hard and have proven it to ourselves that we can perform on the biggest stage. This is a great team to be a part of and I know we will give it our all and fight until the very end.
“We are a small team but in Paris we are a part of something so much bigger, we are a part of Team Canada. Not only are we playing for ourselves, but we are playing for our families, our friends, and every Canadian from coast to coast to coast.”
Bogart will be participating in her fourth Paralympics, followed by Mahon at her third. Baldock, Reinke, and Salehizadeh will be making their second Paralympic appearances.
“I am so excited for our team's opportunity in Paris,” said Bogart in a press release. “We have worked so hard on and off the court to earn our spot at the Games. I am honoured to have been selected to represent Canada and to be with such an amazing group of athletes.”
Canada will compete in Pool B at Paris 2024 alongside Japan, South Korea, and the hosts France. Those teams are currently ranked second, 15th, and 18th, respectively, with Canada currently sitting sixth in the world. The other pool features Brazil, China, Israel, and Turkey and the competition will take place at Stade Pierre de Coubertin in Paris.
Preliminary round matches will take place from August 29 to September 1, with the quarterfinals scheduled for September 3, semifinals on September 4, and medal matches on September 5.
Canada has won four goalball medals over the years. The women’s team struck gold in 2000 and 2004, also winning a silver medal in 1984. The men’s team won a silver in 1996.
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will take centre stage from August 28 to September 8 in the France capital. Canada is expecting to send approximately 140 athletes across all sports, according to the Canadian Paralympic Committee.
Thank you for reading this post on True North. To be the first person to read future posts, and listen to new podcast episodes, subscribe for free using the button below, or share the article with someone you know.