The Canadian women’s wheelchair basketball team secured a bronze medal in the America’s Cup competition held in Bogotá, Colombia, by defeating Argentina 63-51 on Thursday evening. Leading the charge for Team Canada was Arinn Young, who tallied a game-high 26 points in addition to 16 rebounds and four assists. Élodie Tessier contributed 11 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, while Elise Froese provided a boost off the bench with eight points and six rebounds.
Young, maintaining an average of 28.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across six games, was honored as a tournament all-star during the medal presentation on Thursday. Reflecting on the journey, Puisand Lai of Canada expressed, “I think during our pool, when we faced Brazil, it was a challenging match – they demonstrated the essence of competition, especially for our younger athletes. As the tournament progressed, we continued to elevate our performance, and in the final game, we approached it with determination and passion. It was a tough battle, but we poured our hearts into it and persevered. I’m thrilled that we secured this medal.”
The Americas Cup serves as a qualifying event for the upcoming wheelchair basketball world championships scheduled to be held in Ottawa from September 9 to 19, 2026. The United States and Brazil have secured spots for Ottawa, while Argentina and Colombia have progressed to the Repechage Tournament based on their performances in Bogotá. Canada, being the host country, has already secured a spot in the world championships.