Memories from the past Paralympic Games that cannot be forgotten. Here’s a look at the wheelchair basketball’s historic moments from the recent Paralympic Games.
1. USA’s double dominance
Rio 2016 Paralympics were memorable particularly for the USA.
Both their men and women’s teams finished on top of the podium, a feat last seen at the 1988 Paralympics. The US women were motivated after missing out on a podium finish at London 2012 to reclaim the titles they won at Beijing 2008 and Athens 2004. Meanwhile, the men broke a 28-year gold medal drought through a superfluous display against every opposition. Both teams powered through the tournament undefeated. Jake Williams led the offensive push over Spain with 20 points, while Becca Murray helped the women’s side top Germany with 33.
2. Sport’s great Patrick Anderson leads Canada to gold
The three-time Paralympic gold medallist from Canada Patrick Anderson retired after the Beijing 2008 Games to enroll at Hunter College in New York City, USA, to fulfill his dream of becoming a professional musician. He came out of retirement in 2011 and proceeded to help Canada claim gold at the London 2012 Paralympics, dominating in the team’s 64-58 final victory over Australia with 34 points. It was a double-double night for Anderson, who also recorded 10 rebounds, another reason why he is considered the Michael Jordan of wheelchair basketball.
3. Japan’s podium moment
The Japanese women’s team accomplished an incredible feat for the Asian region when they defeated the Netherlands for the bronze medal at Sydney 2000. It was the nation’s first medal in the sport since Stoke Mandeville 1984.
4. Historic moment for Algeria
Algeria became the first African women’s wheelchair basketball team to play at Paralympic Games in Rio. It marked the first time the women’s tournament saw all four zones represented at the Paralympics – quite a change considering the women’s event was added to the Paralympic programme at the 1968 Tel Aviv Games. Algeria made a mark when they defeated South Africa for gold at the 2015 Africa Zonal Championships.
5. Atmosphere to remember
A packed arena and sold out crowds at the Rio 2016 Paralympics provided a lively atmosphere for the athletes to play in. Crowd engagement at games such as Great Britain vs. Brazil (men) or Australia vs. Brazil (women) saw 85 per cent of tickets sold across the nine days of action. A total of 354,734 tickets were sold to watch wheelchair basketball.
Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced game between two teams trying to shoot a ball into the opposing team’s basket.
Athletes showcase an array of skillsets, from ball-handling to chair skills combined with smart tactics, making it one of the most thrill-seeking spectator sports at the Paralympic Games.
How it works
Every team comprises of five players and seven substitutes, and games consist of four periods of 10 minutes.
The rules of wheelchair basketball are similar to stand-up basketball. The court is the same size, the basket is at the same height and scoring is identical: two points for a shot inside the 3-point line, one point for each free throw and three points for a shot outside the 3-point arc (6.75m or more from the basket).
Players must dribble or pass to move the ball around the court by passing or dribbling. Perhaps the biggest rule difference to the stand-up version is the travel rule. Wheelchair athletes must pass or bounce the ball after every two push on their wheelchair to avoid being penalised for travelling.
There are 12 players in each team, with no more than five on court.
Every player is assigned a point value based on their functional ability, from 1.0 for a player with the least physical function (‘low-pointer’) through to 4.5 for the most physical function (‘high-pointer’). The five players on court are only allowed to have a maximum of 14 points.
History
Wheelchair basketball initially developed around 1945 as a form of rehabilitation for World War II servicemen in the US.
At a similar time, Sir Ludwig Guttmann developed a similar sport called wheelchair netball at the Spinal Rehabilitation Hospital in Stoke Mandeville, Great Britain at Stoke Mandeville. When a US team entered the International Stoke Mandeville Games, there was a further burst of interest in wheelchair basketball that saw it grow across Europe.
By 1960, wheelchair basketball was played on the global stage at the first Paralympic Games in Rome, Italy, and now is practiced world-wide. Wheelchair basketball has evolved into a fast-paced, chair-knocking Paralympic sport. At the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, 12 men’s and 10 women’s teams hit courts for two medal events.