Germany cap Para sport’s triumphant debut with heart-stopping 3x3 wheelchair basketball gold

BOCHUM – They thought they’d won it in regulation time, but after waiting so long for 3x3 wheelchair basketball to make its FISU World University Games debut, the German women’s team were made to wait a little longer for the gold medal on Sunday.

In a heart-stopping final against Spain, the team that finished sixth at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games came out on top in overtime, winning 12-11.

"It's such a great honour,” Lilly Sellak (GER) told the FISU Games News Service. “Every single one of our friends, families and the fans were here. I don't know what to say, I'm at a loss of words."

“We needed this. We pushed ourselves, celebrated every basket, and with the fans behind your back, it just gives you an amazing push. Unbelievable.”

Germany led 10-6 with less than three minutes left on the clock, but a brace of baskets from each of Beatriz Zudaire Garcia (ESP) and Naiara Rodriguez Resa (ESP) forced the match into an extra period.

“Somehow, you almost have the gold medal within reach and then it turns into overtime,” Sellak said.

“I stormed onto the court and for me, it was already a done deal. Katha (Catharina Weiss, GER) made such a good shot. We all had tears in our eyes and were already celebrating, and then suddenly, ‘Does not count.’ I was briefly scared and stopped believing.”

Teammate Lisa Bergenthal was relieved that Germany netted the two baskets needed to claim gold.

“Right now it's just a weight off our shoulders because we fought so hard for it until the last second,” she said.

Tears of triumph

The German team were in tears after the match and milked the applause of the spectators. The Jahrhunderthalle was so full that many fans were forced to watch the game on television screens outside.

A raucous Sunday afternoon in Bochum provided perfect evidence of the huge success of Para sport’s debut at the FISU Games.

It capped four action-packed days when student Para athletes played on the same court, in front of the same spectators as the standing 3x3 players – and with the same electric atmosphere.

"It's a sign that our sport is just the same as able-bodied – we're just in chairs," Joseph Rafter (USA) said after claiming bronze in men’s 3x3 wheelchair event.

"We all see ourselves as athletes, same as our able-bodied counterparts. We just want to be accepted by people who may not have ever seen sport.”

In the men’s wheelchair category, Spain claimed gold after defeating Great Britain 11-8 in another pulsating final. Despite the result, James Lancaster Hazell (GBR) was proud to have played his part.

“It’s a great opportunity to showcase the sport at an elite level (and) an amazing opportunity to be in a smaller version of the Olympics,” he said.

New fans

The sport has also attracted new spectators on its debut this week.

"We are sports enthusiasts and watch every sport,” local resident Alex Schultz said, standing alongside his companion, Silke Bartz.

“I'm a basketball player myself and she's a water polo player. But we're watching 3x3 wheelchair basketball for the first time and think it's top-notch.

“We wanted to watch it in Paris 2024 (at the Paralympic Games), but unfortunately we missed it. We were finally able to watch it here.”

Talk about choosing your moments. For the German women’s team and their legion of fans, 3x3 wheelchair basketball has just hit the big time.

FGNS pw/ph/mb