England women's Blind squad named for IBSA World Championship

The England women’s Blind squad has been named for the upcoming IBSA Blind Women’s World Championship.

A ten-player squad has been selected for the tournament which runs from 2 to 12 October in India following the conclusion of the IBSA Nations Cup which the England men’s Blind team competed in.

The nine-team tournament involves opposition from Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Poland, Turkey and hosts India.

"This squad represents our development as a programme over the last few years," said head coach Tony Larkin.

"We now have six players who have experience of playing in the last World Championships in 2023 combined with four new players who are keen to impress in their first major tournament. We also have competition for places which hasn’t always been the case.

"The squad headed to India now boasts four or five players capable of scoring goals which is something we were previously lacking.

"We are confident that this squad has the ability to put us in a medal position and are looking forward to the opportunity of taking on the world’s best."

The Para Lionesses have already tasted success this year, winning the IBSA Tri-Nations Cup earlier in April, with the tournament having taken place at St. George’s Park.

And England will be aiming to build on that performance at next month’s major tournament which takes place in Kochi, Kerala.

The Squad

Alicia Grimmond, Katie Christopher, Amelie Ford, Alice Hopkins, Lucja Wyrwantowicz, Natasha Mead, Selina Prieto, Samantha Gough, Megan Smithson-Booth, Maria Slade