These Wheelchair Basketball Players Hoop Together in Regina. Now They’re Both on Canada’s Paralympic Team
Regina Wheelchair Basketball to Paralympics
Hometown pride emanating from Regina, Canada is in abundance as two players who suited up for the Pacers wheelchair basketball team will represent their country at the Tokyo Paralympic Games in August.
The camaraderie between the two athletes dates back to 2017 and was forged during pickup games at the University of Regina.
Today, Thomas Hellman and Bo Hedges, are a dynamic duo who will bring their expertise to the Canadian Paralympic team.
Thomas Hellman’s Experience
Hailing from Alameda, California, Hellman played college basketball at the University of Illinois before a car accident in 2013 left him paralyzed from the waist down.
Hellman’s transition to wheelchair basketball was a seamless one and he relocated to Regina in 2017 with the goal of making Team Canada.
Hellman’s incredible skill set earned him a spot on the 2020 Paralympics team, which was postponed and is set to take place this summer.
Bo Hedges’ Journey
Hedges, also a member of the Pacers wheelchair basketball team, is an accomplished athlete who has represented Canada on the international stage.
In 2005, Hedges was paralyzed after a diving accident that severed his spinal cord.
Today, the 13-time national champion and two-time Paralympic medalist is excited to don the Team Canada jersey for a third time.
Regina’s Wheelchair Basketball Scene
The Pacers have been a dominant force in the Saskatchewan Wheelchair Basketball League and are known for developing top-tier athletes.
Over the past two decades, the Pacers have produced a number of Paralympic medalists, including Patrick Anderson and Tyler Miller.
It’s a testament to the strength of the wheelchair basketball program in Regina that two players from the same team will represent Canada at the Paralympics.
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