(article courtesy International Blind Sports Federation) USA Women's Goalball Coach Jake Czechowski raises his arms in the air as assistant coach John Potts, trainer Jen Brown, and players Lisa Czechowski and Shavon Lockhardt celebrate a victory over Canada at the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru. (photo by Mark Reis) A couple of veteran players mixed with a fresh, younger team, together with a new defensive system, means that the defending women’s bronze medalists, the USA, are fired up, ready for Tokyo 2020.Having competed in the Rio 2016 and London 2012 Paralympics, Amanda Dennis and her team are using…
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(July 25, 2019) -- The United States will send a seasoned group of goalball athletes, sprinkled with a few rising stars, to Lima, Peru, to compete at the 2019 Parapan American Games next month. Two-thirds of the men’s and women’s goalball rosters include medalists from the Paralympic Games Rio 2016. For the U.S. men’s goalball team, the Parapan Am Games represent the final opportunity to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. The team will need to finish on the top step of the podium to secure their ticket to Tokyo next year. Four returning members from the silver-medal winning…
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FORT WAYNE, Indiana (July 9, 2019) -- A day after earning a quota spot at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, the U.S. women’s goalball team fell just shy of a gold medal at the International Blind Sports Association qualifier in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The American squad lost Tuesday’s gold-medal match 5-3 to China, who won all nine of their contests in the tournament. For the U.S. it was their first loss of event to go along with one tie. A back-and-forth first half of action saw the U.S. counter each China goal, with five-time Paralympians Asya Miller (Portland, Ore.) and…
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Colorado Springs, Colo. (June 14, 2019) – The competition schedules for goalball have been announced for the upcoming 2019 International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) International Qualifier to be held July 2-9 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. There are 27 goalball teams vying to secure their spot in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, including 14 men’s and 13 women’s squads. Each gender has been divided into two pools as follows: Men’s Pool A …
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Colorado Springs, Colo. (May 13, 2019) – The 27 goalball teams vying to secure a place in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games at this summer’s International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) International Qualifier in Fort Wayne, Indiana, have been finalized. The announcement comes with 50 days remaining before the July 2-9 competition at Turnstone Center and Indiana Tech. The 27 teams include 14 men’s and 13 women’s squads. The top two teams in each gender at the conclusion of the tournament will earn berths at next year’s Paralympic Games, provided they have not already qualified. “The level of competition in this…
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