Top Women’s Goalball Teams Head to Malmo Open

Australia's women's team became the first Goalball squad to qualify for the Paralympics from the country since the Sydney 2000 Games. © • Australian Paralympic Committee

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Teams will be split into two pools with two days of round-robin play and the final day saved for the playoffs. All of the top-10 ranked teams in the world will be there aside from No. 1 China.

The Malmo Lady Intercup, the largest women’s Goalball competition after the Paralympic Games and World Championships, is set to begin on Friday (18 May) in Malmo, Sweden.

The 13th edition of the three-day tournament will draw 14 of the world’s top teams, and as usual, the event will be unique in that it will feature sound and light shows between games.

Teams will be split into two pools with two days of round-robin play and the final day saved for the playoffs. All of the top-10 ranked teams in the world will be there aside from No. 1 China.

Pool A includes: Israel, Canada, Germany, Greece, Great Britain, Sweden and Russia.

Pool B includes: Spain, USA, Japan, the Netherlands, Australia, Finland and Denmark.

World No. 2 USA, who have won the tournament a record six times, will have a target on their back, as well as the reigning tournament champions, Russia.

USA won gold at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics Games and will be led by five-time Paralympian Jen Armbruster and three-time Paralympian Asya Miller.

Russia’s six-strong roster will be coached by Elena Udodova.

Third-ranked Canada, who have won the event twice, and host nation Sweden will be tough opponents, as will current European champions, Denmark, who won bronze at Beijing 2008.

Other participating teams include: Germany, Greece, Great Britain, Spain, Japan, the Netherlands, Australia, Finland and Israel.