Gliders Name Squad for World Championships

The Australian Gliders have selected a 12-member squad set to take on the world’s best at August’s IWBF World Championships in Germany.

The squad boasts three Western Australian athletes, who all hold Paralympic experience as members of the Gliders’ London 2012 team that came home with a silver medal.

Amber Merritt, Clare Nott and Sarah Vinici all made coach David Gould’s final cut in a squad that he hopes can reignite Australia as a global force.

“I’m extremely happy with the team selected,” Gould said.

“The group has bonded extremely well over the past 12 months and have had a great preparation leading up the World Champs.”

That build-up has included a home series with global power Germany, a tour of Japan and a current camp in the United States. Gould has used this opportunity to blend a core of established players with a wave of new talent.

“We have a good mix of youth and experience,” Gould said.

“The entire team is extremely excited with the opportunity to further themselves on the international stage and I feel this is the closest the group has been in years.”

Australia will face group matches with Brazil, the Netherlands, Canada, Great Britain and Spain with eight nations from the 12 competing, progressing through to the quarter finals from August 23.