Canada secures crucial win over Colombia at wheelchair rugby world championship
Canadians improve to 1-2 after falling to Japan earlier Wednesday
Canada earned a much-needed 62-46 win over Colombia at the wheelchair rugby world championship on Wednesday in Denmark.
The Canadians dropped a 52-47 decision to top-ranked Japan earlier in the day, falling to a precarious 0-2 record.
But the victory against Colombia left both countries at 1-2 entering the final day of group play on Thursday, when Canada will play ninth-ranked Brazil and seventh-ranked Denmark.
Both games will be available on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem. The Brazil bout will air via delayed highlights at 9 a.m. ET, followed by live coverage of the Denmark game at noon ET.
WATCH | What's at stake at wheelchair rugby worlds:
"We came out a lot more fired up this game and got the job done,'' said Zack Madell, of Okotoks, Alta. "These next games are much more important. The tournament is not over for us, and we are not going to dwell on those first two games."
The top four teams in each six-nation group reach Friday's quarter-finals, with the semifinals set for Saturday and medal matches on Sunday.
Canada, ranked sixth, placed fifth at the Tokyo Paralympics and sixth at the last world championship in 2018 in Sydney, Australia, where Japan captured the gold medal.
Madell, a three-time Paralympian, acknowledged the importance of the win against Colombia after the game.
"We're much happier with this result than we have been the last two," he said in a post-game interview.
WATCH | Canada upends Colombia:
Madell was named player of the game against Colombia. He led Canada with 28 points in each of Wednesday's games.
Group A features Great Britain (2), United States (3), France (5), New Zealand (8), Germany (10) and Switzerland (12). The top four teams from each group advance to Friday's quarter-final stage, which is being held for the first time at the world championship. The semifinals are Saturday, with the medal matches on Sunday.
More than 130 players, including a record 13 women — three of whom are members of the Australian team — will compete at the event.
In September, Canada beat reigning Paralympic champion Great Britain in the Quad Nations final and has demonstrated major growth since the disappointing finish in Tokyo,
Canada's 12-member squad at worlds, which includes 11 Paralympians, also won silver in June at the Canada Cup in Richmond, B.C.
The Canadians won silver at 2014 worlds and are searching for their first world title since 2002.
WATCH | Canada falls to Japan:
Canada's roster
- Zak Madell — Okotoks, Alta.
- Fabien Lavoie — Quebec City
- Mike Whitehead — Windsor, Ont.
- Matt Debly — Windsor, Ont.
- Shayne Smith — Toronto
- Cody Caldwell — Peterborough, Ont.
- Anthony Létourneau — Boisbriand, Que.
- Travis Murao — Toronto
- Patrice Dagenais — Embrun, Ont.
- Trevor Hirschfield — Parksville, B.C.
- Eric Rodrigues — Mississauga, Ont.
- Byron Green — Vancouver
