Canadian women's wheelchair basketball world champs train in Winnipeg

A Canadian Parapan Am Games team is training this week in Winnipeg.

They're the women's wheelchair basketball world champions, and they're not afraid of playing with the target on their backs that comes along with the title.

Don't believe that? Just ask 24-year national team veteran Tracey Ferguson.

"I love it. Personally, you know, I want that target on my back because it means I'm number one -- and it's fun," she said.

When Canada's team takes to the court at the Parapan Am Games later this summer in Toronto they'll go in as the gold medal favourites after winning the world championship last year at the same venue. It's all part of a return to prominence for the program after a few rebuilding seasons.

Ferguson, in town as the team trains at the University of Manitoba, knows what it takes to get to the top and stay there.

She's been around for four world titles and 3 Paralympic gold medals. And, it's that experience that helps her recognize teams like Germany, Holland and the United States are hot on their heels for global supremacy.

While Canada won't have to worry about the Europeans at the Parapan Ams, the Americans are likely standing between them and a gold medal.

In preparation for the games, Canada travels to Europe to face the Germans and the Dutch before coming back to Canada in late July to get ready for Toronto 2015 and that possible gold medal showdown with the United States.

Oh, and just in case the push for gold on home court isn't enough motivation for the team, they're also aware that their efforts in Toronto can qualify them for next summer's Olympics in Brazil.

Safe to say there's plenty for them to concentrate these days, so much they may even forget about that target on their backs.