Canada have revealed the men’s and women’s teams who will compete at the 2018 International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) Goalball World Championships in Malmo, Sweden, from 3 June.

The athletes were selected by Canadian Blind Sports based on the 2017-2018 national team pool as the best combination of centres and wingers.

The women’s team will play Paralympic silver and bronze medallists China and USA respectively in a tough-looking group D. At the 2016 Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Canada were knocked out in the semi-finals by their North American rivals.

The eight men have been drawn in group B alongside defending title holders and Paralympic bronze medallists Brazil. The Canadian team will be hoping to bounce back from an agonising 5-4 quarter final defeat at Rio 2016 to eventual champions Lithuania.

Men’s team

Brendan Gaulin

Aron Ghebreyohanes

Bruno Hache

Blair Nesbitt

Doug Ripley

Ahmad Zeividavi

Alternates:

Peter Parsons

Simon Tremblay

Women’s team

Whitney Bogart

Meghan Mahon

Nancy Morin

Emma Reinke

Ruby Soliman

Alternate:

Brieann Baldock

The 2018 IBSA Goalball World Championships run from 3-8 June. Featuring 28 of the world’s best men’s and women’s teams, it is the first major stop on the road to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.