Walbrzych 2019: Wheelchair basketball European Championships tip off

Four men’s teams will earn their Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games tickets 27 Aug 2019

Man in wheelchair hoists basketball trophy with the men's British wheelchair basketball team behind him celerbating

Phil Pratt and the British 2018 world champion team will be tough to beat in Walbrzych

ⒸMSSP - Michael Schwartz

By IPC

Regional bragging rights are not only at stake at the 2019 Men’s Wheelchair Basketball European Championships beginning Wednesday in Walbrzych, Poland.

It will also be the site where four teams can make their Paralympic dreams come alive, with slots available for the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Twelve teams will battle for those limit spots, with reigning world champions Great Britain entering as the heavy tournament favourites.

male wheelchair basketballer Andre Bienek holds on to the ball

Ⓒuliphoto.de

The nation heads Group A, which includes Austria, Germany, Italy, Poland and Switzerland. Germany would hope to measure up strong and better their bronze medal from the 2017 European Championships.

Turkey however hope to defend their title from two years ago, and appear the strongest to make it out of Group B.

But the Netherlands could surprise and would like to make up for missing the podium at the last edition. Rio 2016 Paralympic silver medallists Spain, Israel, France and Russia round off Group B.

Male wheelchair basketballers Morteza Ebrahimi and Ozgur Gurbulak fight for the ball

Ⓒuliphoto.de

Group play runs until Thursday, followed by playoff matches from Friday to Saturday, and medal games taking place on Sunday.

The women’s European Championships concluded in July in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The host nation topped Great Britain for the coveted gold medal, while Germany defeated Spain. All four teams qualified for next year’s Paralympic Games.