Ten teams will compete in the first day of wheelchair basketball competition on day three of Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023.
The teams are divided into Pool A and Pool B for the round robin format, which sees Team Australia taking on The Unconquered 1 on the Merkur Spiel-Arena’s centre court.
Team Unconquered was created to allow nations of all sizes the chance to compete in team sports at the games, and has two wheelchair basketball outfits in this year’s competition.
The first Unconquered team was created in Toronto in 2017 from Romanian, Ukrainian, Danish and American players and the concept has remained a staple ever since.
In Australia’s second match of the day, they take on France.
Other teams in action in the basketball are crowd favourites Ukraine, USA, Georgia, UK, Canada and our Pacific brethren, New Zealand, who haven’t competed in an Invictus campaign since Sydney 2018 due to COVID issues.
Making the charge for Team Australia is Mark Armstrong, James Barker, Able Seaman Boatswains Mate Cooper Blackwood, Justin Donnelly, Xavier Green, Danielle Hale, Ainsley Hooker, Kurt Ludke, Lenny Redrose, Adam Slot, Colleen Swifte and Steve Richards.
Meanwhile, a lucky 13 competitors form Australia’s indoor rowing squad to take on a fierce day of adaptive racing on day three of competition.
Among the racers is former Army transport Corporal Shaun Hillman, who is captaining the Australian indoor rowing team.
“Everyone’s excited to get out there and compete,” Shaun said.
“We’ve been following a good training plan our coach set up for us.
“We’ve all got our goals that we want to get to but everyone’s been very excited and raring to go.”
During the event, rowers compete with each other on rowing ergometers which simulate the sequence of movements for rowing on land.
The rowing machine can be adjusted to the specific requirements of the competitors, enabling people with different abilities to participate in the competition.
The objective is to cover the greatest possible distance within a specific period of time. In the Individual Sprint event, the competitors compete with each other for one minute; the Individual Endurance race lasts four minutes.
It’s an unusual event that sees competitors going hell for leather, testing their limits. According to Shaun, this comes together to create an unmissable event.
“I’m looking forward to just competing and seeing the atmosphere.
“What I’ve heard about the rowing, it’s meant to be amazing.”
Representing Australia are rowing team captain, Shaun Hillman, along with Andrew Tebbitt, Able Seaman Taryn Dickens, Craig Ball, Michael, Adam Slot, Karl Woodward, Erin Brigden, Francine Dudfield, Danielle Hale, Alex Jay, Brooke Mead and Laura Reynell.
Meet the Australian Team at www.defence.gov.au/invictusgames or follow them on Facebook.
