Janet McLachlan (5) of Team Canada recovers a rebound in a game against Team Japan at the 2014 Women's World Wheelchair Basketball Championships in Toronto on Friday, June 20, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ho-Phillip MacCallum/Wheelchair Basketball Canada
June 20, 2014 - 12:43 PM
TORONTO - Janet McLachlan of Vancouver had 28 points and 21 rebounds as Canada's women's wheelchair basketball team cruised to an 83-53 victory over Japan in their opening game of the world championships Friday.
Katie Harnock of Elmira, Ont., added 25 points while Cindy Ouellet of Quebec City finished with 15 points and 10 assists.
The Canadians won bronze at this event in 2010 after winning gold in 2006, 2002, 1998 and 1994. However, Canada finished a disappointing sixth at the 2012 London Paralympics.
The Canadians will face Brazil on Saturday before taking on China on Sunday and the top-ranked Germans on Monday. Canada will cap pool play Tuesday against Great Britain at Ryerson University's Mattamy Athletic Centre.
Twelve countries are competing in the tournament, which is also being used as a test event for the Toronto 2015 Parapan Am Games.
The gold-medal game is June 28.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2014