Sponsors of the C4 London 2012 Paralympic Games site

The sports: Wheelchair basketball

  • Athletics
  • Wheelchair basketball
  • Swimming
  • Volleyball
  • Boccia
  • Archery
  • (Road) Cycling
  • (Track) Cycling
  • Equestrian
  • Football 5-a-side
  • Football 7-a-side
  • Goalball
  • Judo
  • Powerlifting
  • Rowing
  • Sailing
  • Shooting
  • Table tennis
  • Wheelchair fencing
  • Wheelchair rugby
  • Tennis
Wheelchair basketball

Wheelchair basketball

Sharp shooting, rock-solid defensive resolve and a complete lack of fear. That's what's needed to make it in the world of wheelchair basketball. Well, that and a very high pain threshold…
  • Strength
  • Speed
  • Stamina

The Athletes

  • Amy Conroy

    GB wheelchair basketball star Amy Conroy will be hoping the only on-court bungles at the London 2012 Paralympic Games come at the expense of her opponents.

  • Louise Sugden

    Watch out Tulisa! The feisty judge could well meet her match if GB wheelchair basketball star Louise Sugden turns up on the TV talent show...

  • Clare Strange

    Clare Strange may have no idea what’s on the wireless, but she certainly knows what’s happening on the wheelchair basketball court...

  • Terry Bywater

    Initiation into the GB men's wheelchair basketball team might be unorthodox, but it didn't stop the Bulldogs winning gold at the European Championships in September. We caught up with their point-scorer extraordinaire, Terry Bywater, to hear all about it...

  • Ian Sagar

    Meet GB’s Ian Sagar. Thankfully, he has more style on the basketball court than on his head

  • Sarah McPhee

    Sarah McPhee came from nowhere to star for GB’s wheelchair basketball team in 2011. Be thankful her free throws and three-pointers are better than her taste in '90s clothing trends

  • Helen Freeman

    GB wheelchair basketball star Helen Freeman might ply her trade in the States, but she hasn’t lost her taste for good old English cheese.

  • Matt Sealy

    Meet GB wheelchair basketball star Matt Sealy, the Italian-based ace who loves Roman cuisine almost as much as he loves his sport. Spaghetti and hoops? Sounds like a winning combination

  • Jon Pollock

    We spoke to wheelchair basketball captain Jon Pollock about Australian ding-dongs, shooting hoops in sunny Spain and how he reacts to losing

  • Simon Munn

    With five Paralympic Games appearances and countless medals under his belt, 42-year-old Simon Munn is a wheelchair basketball veteran

How it works: Wheelchair basketball

Two teams of five compete on a standard-size basketball court with regulation 10ft-high basketball hoops. It's fast and furious action from start to finish, and has always been one of the Paralympic Games' biggest draws.

What you need to know

  • number_1

    There are two events - men's and women's - so athletes of all levels of physical ability can compete in the same match. Each player is given a rating between 1 and 4.5 depending on their functional ability, and teams must not exceed 14 points on court at any one time.

  • number_2

    Free throws are worth one point, two points are awarded when a player scores from inside the arc, while shots from outside the arc mean three points, plus a huge cheer from the crowd.

  • number_3

    Players must dribble the ball if they want to move with it - bouncing the ball once every two pushes of the wheel to avoid giving away a 'travelling' penalty.

  • number_4

    Wheelchair basketball is one of the most established disability sports. It is played competitively by more than 25,000 people, and by many more in clubs and schools around the world.

  • number_5

    Top players' titanium wheelchairs don't come cheap by the way - they are cutting-edge pieces of kit costing up to £3,500 each.

What to say: Wheelchair basketball

If someone mentions a player had a "triple-double" in their last match, don't reply, "They must have been drunk!" Say, "Wow, that means they scored double digits in points, assists and rebounds, right?"

Who's good: Wheelchair basketball

Australia are the reigning men's champion, having beaten Canada in the Beijing final in a game that was tighter than a public sector pay rise. But the US will also be out to prove a point after finishing empty-handed last time, especially as their female counterparts took gold in the women's event.

Features

Video

Upcoming events

External links will open in a new window

The shows

The Paralympic Games hall of fame

  • Who has claimed the men's wheelchair basketball Paralympic crown?
    • 2008:
      AUS
      AUS
    • 2004:
      CAN
      CAN
    • 2000:
      CAN
      CAN
    • 1996:
      AUS
      AUS
  • Who has claimed the women's wheelchair basketball Paralympic crown?
    • 2008:
      USA
      USA
    • 2004:
      USA
      USA
    • 2000:
      CAN
      CAN
    • 1996:
      CAN
      CAN

Latest Tweets

Email a friend