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Australia finally tasted Tokyo success in the women’s wheelchair basketball on Tuesday as the Gliders crushed Algeria 71-32 to finish their Paralympic return in ninth place.
Amber Merritt finished her huge campaign with 27 points and eight rebounds as Australia equalled its World Championship placing of three years ago.
The African champions were helpless against an early onslaught which establish a 27-8 lead for Australia at quarter-time and the result was only heading in one direction from then on.
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Pre-tournament expectations were measured for an Australian team playing in its first Paralympics since taking the silver medal in London nine years ago.
While there was the positivity of qualifying for Tokyo after missing out in Rio, the nature of the Gliders’ performance showed they need a lot of improvement to return to the glory days of consistent podium finishes at the world’s biggest events.
With 2024 only three years away, the hard work to build for Paris will begin in earnest and Merritt hopes she can be a part of the ride.
“It’s holding people accountable, that’s what needs to be done,” she replied when asked of the greatest lessons from the Tokyo tournament.
“It’s always pushing people to be their best person and I think in the past we haven’t done that and we’ve rested on our laurels a little bit.
“It’s really exciting to know it’s now that time to really start re-invigorating and push this group to be the best they can be.”
Merritt and Sarah Vinci were the only survivors from the 2012 campaign and the learning curve proved very steep for the 10 first-time basketball Paralympians, which included former Para-equestrian Hannah Dodd.
Among the Games debutants was 31-year-old Bree Mellberg, who is unsure of her future, but admits the lure of Paris will be strong.
“That’s ‘future Bree’s’ problem – that’s a very common line for me,” she laughed.
“But there certainly were moments like the Opening Ceremony … you do want to have that full experience,” she said.
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For now, the Gliders will celebrate a win to complete their campaign and get behind the Rollers push for a medal.
“It was really good, we all banded together really well for this last game,” Mellberg said.
“It is a whirlwind experience and there are lot of highs and lots of lows and I think this will definitely be a high.
“It’s a little bit overwhelming actually to have this moment, you know, you get a win and then you go, ‘It’s done now’. It’s an amazing experience.”
By: Quentin Hull, Paralympics Australia
Posted: 31 August 2021
