Canadian Women Take Silver at Wheelchair Basketball Tourney

Canada's women's wheelchair basketball team is heating up at exactly the right time.

The squad captured silver at the Ottawa Invitational tournament this weekend, falling 80-60 to the United States in Sunday's final. The four-country competition served as the perfect tune-up before Canada hosts the IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships in Ottawa this September.

The Canadian team kicked off strong with wins over Japan (66-48) and Brazil (62-51) on Thursday. They faced a tight 67-64 loss to the Americans on Friday before bouncing back to defeat Japan 69-58 in Saturday's semifinal.

The roster featured nine Paralympians, including Kady Dandeneau, Sofia Fassi-Fehri, Melanie Hawtin, and Tara Llanes. Six additional players rounded out the 15-woman squad competing before home crowds.

Meanwhile, in Montreal, Paralympic medallist Leanne Taylor showed that motherhood hasn't slowed her down one bit. The Oak Bluff, Manitoba triathlete finished fourth in the wheelchair classification at the Para Triathlon Series, clocking 1:06:33.

Taylor welcomed her son Oliver 10 months ago and took all of 2025 off during her pregnancy. She and her husband Scott Dyk, who also serves as her competition handler, traveled to Japan last month for her comeback race, where she placed fifth.

The bronze medallist from the 2024 Paris Paralympics is steadily working her way back onto the international podium. Competing at the elite level while caring for an infant demonstrates the resilience that makes Paralympic athletes so inspiring.

Why This Inspires

These athletes prove that setbacks are just setups for comebacks. Taylor is redefining what's possible for Paralympic moms, showing that family and elite competition can coexist. The wheelchair basketball team, meanwhile, is building momentum at home before welcoming the world to Ottawa.

Their performances remind us that progress isn't always linear. Sometimes it's about showing up, competing hard, and trusting the process as the biggest moments approach.

Canada's Para swimming stars are also gearing up for the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials at Montreal's Parc Olympique from July 5-9. Two-time Paralympic champion Nicholas Bennett and world record holder Mary Jibb will compete for spots on Swimming Canada's international teams.

With world championships on home soil approaching and athletes returning stronger than ever, Canadian Para sport is having a moment worth celebrating.

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