12 June, 2023
Jack Shephard will look to defend his Canada Para Badminton International crown as the race to the Paralympic Games in Paris next summer begins to heat up.
The event in Ottawa is one of the biggest events on the calendar and offers players a huge chance to secure some significant ranking points as they look to seal a Paralympic place.
Last year’s International was a successful one for English players, with Shephard winning SH6 singles gold and Dan Bethell claiming SL3 silver, and a full-strength squad has set off to the Canadian capital.
Shephard and Bethell have travelled alongside Krysten Coombs and Rachel Choong, with action underway later this week.
“This event is hugely important in the race to the Paralympics in Paris,” said coach Rich Morris.
“It’s a beautiful city and a really nice tournament, it’s been running for many years and the team has been a lot before and had great success last year.
“We’re looking forward to getting going and trying to put a real stamp and statement on the race to Paris with the extra points available at a Level 1 event.”
After action in Ottawa the squad will not be in action for almost two months, with a six-week training block ahead of the 4 Nations Para Badminton International in Sheffield this August.
That is also a Level 1 event, meaning the next few months will prove crucial for all players in their Paralympic qualification quests.
