To the US men’s gold, beat Japan in a final – OA Sport

The United States’ second straight gold medal in wheelchair basketball at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. The Stars and Stripes team defeated Japan in the final 64-60. The battle in the last chapter was very difficult, with Jacob Williams, the tournament’s top scorer for the US team with 13 points, but above all Steve Sirio, the American captain, who closes at 28 and appears to be a decisive man for the fate of his teammates.

Ironically, neither team finished their group in first place: Japan because they were defeated by Spain in the penultimate game of Group A, and the United States because they were ridiculed by a point by Great Britain in Group B. The groups, however, were defeated by the latter: the Americans imposed themselves on the Iberians, and the Japanese on the British.

Great Britain won the third place with a score of 68-58. In this case it is Choudary gas, with 19 points, for playing the master, neutralizing 17 of Alejandro Zarzuela Beltran. Among the three teams on the podium, Japan has the historic moment Hiroaki Kozai, the authentic spirit of the team is able to go and get the first Paralympic medal in this sport.

For the United States, it is the fifth gold since the unification of Class A and B, which existed in 1960 and 1964, but were subsequently abolished from 1968 onwards. The fourth bronze instead for Great Britain, which can be proud of silver in Atlanta 96.

Photo: La Presse