After winning gold at the Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, the US team enters the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games as the favorite in the Wheelchair Rugby tournament, to be held from September 12-16 at the USTB Gymnasium.
Wheelchair Rugby was introduced to the Paralympic program in 1996 and the US won the first two gold medals. In Athens they managed only bronze, but returned to the top of the podium at the 2006 World Championship.
Experienced US players like Murderball movie star Mark Zupan, captain Bryan Kirkland and Andy Cohn will blend with new players such as Joel Wilmoth who will play in his first Paralympic Games.
The players are classified in seven levels, from 0.5 to 3.5 points, with a lower scoring indicating greater impairment. There are four players on the field of play at one time, and their combined points score cannot exceed eight.
Only Canada has defeated the US in recent years.
Canada invented the game and is ranked No. 3 in the world. The Canadians arrive in Beijing having added depth to their bench and strong rookies to the team.
Canada will have more players and more options than in previous competitions. Veteran 3.5-point Garett Hickling will not play many minutes, but during the key moments can offer his impressive handling abilities. Experienced athletes Ian Chan and Mike Whitehead will mix with youngsters like Jason Crone, who is one of the most promising rookies of the world.
While the North American teams enter Beijing 2008 as the favorites, New Zealand is the reigning Paralympic champions, featuring six members of the 2004 Athens gold-winning team as well as coach Grant Sharman.
New Zealand's veteran team is fit and smart but lacks depth on the bench since the team only has eight players, while all of the other competitors have 11 or 12 athletes.
Great Britain has never won a medal in a major competition but has been close, including finishing in fourth place in Athens. The British have dominated the European zone in recent years and have changed their coaching style. Coach Mark Edward O'Connor lacks a 3 or 3.5-point player and must rely on Ross Morrison, Troye Collins and Alan Ash to lead the British team.
Ranked No. 5 in the world, Australia always represents a threat for the top teams. In Athens, the Aussies were very close to beating silver medalists Canada in the quarterfinals before finishing fifth. Ryley Batt leads the team and is arguably the best player in the world. If he performs, Australia will be a medal contender.
Japan placed fifth in the 2006 World Championships and, although inconsistent, can beat anyone on a good day. The Asians will make up for their lack of height with speed and aggression. Shinichi Shimakawa is considered the fastest player in the world.
The German team is a strong European force but is usually behind the top teams in international competitions. Germany's veteran players meet Australia, the United States and Great Britain in group B and might struggle.
China started playing Wheelchair Rugby three years ago. The host team features many good players but will suffer from a lack of experience. China is the only team at the Games ranked below eight in the world rankings, down in 19th place.
The tournament will be played in two groups of four teams each. Every team can have 11 male athletes or 12 athletes with at least one female. The best two teams from each group qualify for the semifinals. The last two teams in each group compete to determine fifth to eight place.
(BOCOG September 10, 2008)