Edwards '˜excited' ahead of first World Championships

Littlehampton wheelchair basketball star Lewis Edwards is '˜buzzing' ahead of this month's under-23 World Championships.
Lewis Edwards will be part of the Great British under-23's squad at the upcoming World ChampionshipsLewis Edwards will be part of the Great British under-23's squad at the upcoming World Championships
Lewis Edwards will be part of the Great British under-23's squad at the upcoming World Championships

Edwards found out he was part of the ten-man Great Britain squad travelling to Canada to take part in the competition back in April.

The 18-year-old, who plays for West Coast Tornados, has been an integral part of the under-23’s team over the past couple of years.

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Edwards has twice travelled with the squad to compete in the Dubai Games, while also competing in the European Championships - coming second in Italy last year.

Littlehampton-based wheelchair basketball star Lewis EdwardsLittlehampton-based wheelchair basketball star Lewis Edwards
Littlehampton-based wheelchair basketball star Lewis Edwards

Littlehampton wheelchair star Edwards admitted his target has always been the World Championships and he is delighted to have been called up.

Edwards said: “It’s a great honour for me to be called into the World Championship squad. I was part of the under-23 squad that has just returned from the Dubai Games, which we won.

“Every tournament we’ve taken part in other the past couple of years has been building up to what is to come in Canada next month.

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“Most of the squad has been similar throughout recent competitions we have taken part in and the World Championships is what we’ve all been waiting for.”

Great Britain are placed in Pool B for the upcoming competition, along with Japan, United States, France, South Africa and Germany.

Edwards and GB have come up against three of the other four nations in recent times but the Littlehampton-based talent believes everyone will be giving everything at such a prestigious competition.

He added: “We played and beat Germany in the European Championships semi-final last year.

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“We’ve also played both Japan and South Africa in recent times aswell.

“I’m not sure what to expect from the United States but basketball is massive in their country, so we’ll be in for a tough test.

“It’s a tournament that everyone will be looking to win and we will have to be at our best to achieve what we want.”

No Great British under-23 team have managed to medal at a World Championships.

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Having been part of the squad for the best part of two years, Edwards sees no reason why this group of players cannot make history.

He said: “Not a single Great British under-23 team has ever managed to medal in the World Championships.

“Our first aim is to get to a medal match and hopefully achieve something which has never been done before.

“The ultimate ambition is to win the World Championships but we’ll just take it game by game and see where it takes us.”

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Great Britain fly out to Canada on Monday ahead of the tournament start three days later.

Japan provide Great Britain’s first opposition on June, 9 with three games to follow in as many days.

Despite such a daunting schedule, it’s a week Edwards is relishing and said: “It’s going to be a busy week or so but we’ll be hoping to compete in the final. It offers myself and the squad a chance of world glory.”

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