By Gary Anderson

December 4 - Hosts Canada and reigning world champions the United States will be among the favourites at next year's World Championships in Toronto ©Getty Images A total of 12 teams are set to take part at next year's International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) Women's World Wheelchair Basketball Championships in Toronto, making them the largest in the tournament's history.

Hosts Canada will be joined by Paralympic gold medallists Germany, reigning world champions the United States along with London 2012 silver and bronze medallists Australia and the Netherlands.

Brazil, China, France, Great Britain, Japan, Mexico and Peru will also be competing for glory at the Mattamy Athletic Centre from June 20 to 28 next year.

The teams secured their place at the showpiece tournament following a number of qualification events the last of which took place in Bangkok last weekend and saw Australia defeat China in the final of the Asia Oceania Zone Championships.

"We are pleased to announce the 12 teams that will compete in Toronto in June 2014," said IWBF President Maureen Orchard.

"I extend my congratulations to all of the qualifying teams and the IWBF zones for their help in making this possible.

"I was present at the three qualification tournaments and based on what I saw, I am looking forward to some very intense competition at the World Championship."

Paralympic champions Germany will be looking to claim a first World Championship title in Toronto next year ©Getty Images Paralympic champions Germany will be looking to claim a first World Championship title in Toronto next year ©Getty Images
























The 2014 tournament will be the first time the Championships have been held separate from the men's since 1994 when the tournament took place at Stoke Mandeville.

Back then Canada won the first of four consecutive world titles sandwiched between wins for the United States at the inaugural women's World Championships in 1990 and the 2010 Championships in Birmingham.

Toronto hosted the first women's under-25 World Championships in 2011 and organiser's of next year's event claim that they aim to build on the legacy of 2011 as they move towards the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games which will be held in Canada for the first time.

"We are proud to welcome the top female wheelchair basketball players in the world to Toronto," said tournament director Wendy Gittens.

"Momentum has been building toward this world-class event for quite some time and we look forward to the display of elite skill and athleticism that is sure to follow [the] opening tip-off in June."

The draw for the tournament and the competition schedule will be announced in due course.

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