For the first time, Canada won a medal at the 2022 World Women’s Para Volleyball Championship on Friday. In a tournament which is also known as the World Women’s Sitting Volleyball Championship, Canada placed second in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, behind the gold medalists of Brazil.
Over the last week, Canada was in Pool B, and placed second out of four teams with a record of two wins and one loss. They defeated Slovenia 25-18, 25-21, 19-25, 25-22, and Iran 25-10, 25-14, 23-25, 25-13, and lost to the United States, 22-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-12, 15-7.
Then in the first round of playoff action, Canada beat Hungary in straight sets, 25-8, 25-11, 25-12. That was before a quarterfinal win over Italy, 24-26, 25-22, 25-17, 25-14, and a second win in the tournament of Slovenia. This time it was in the semifinals as Canada won 25-14, 25-16, 25-21.
The gold medal game went to five sets with Brazil coming out on top, 25-23, 18-25, 21-25, 25-17, 15-6. In both of Canada’s losses in the tournament, it went the distance. Canada had a two sets to one lead, before losing three sets to two. Both losses came from a country in the Americas. The United States won the bronze medal as they beat Slovenia 25-8, 25-14, 25-10.
This was the eighth World Women’s Sitting Volleyball Championship. Prior to 2022, the Netherlands had won four gold medals, China won twice and Russia once.
