By Nick Butler

Australia will be looking to repeat the form they showed in winning the gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics ©Getty ImagesDefending champions Australian Rollers will be looking to secure a second world title when the International Wheelchair Basketball World Championships begin in Incheon this week.

Taking place in the same South Korean city in which the Asian Para Games will take place from October 18 to 24, the Championships, which begin on Saturday (July 5), follow on from the women's edition won by host nation Canada in Toronto last week.

While the Australian women's team were eliminated in the group stage, the men's team will be targeting greater success after they won the last Championships in 2010 with a 79-69 victory over France.

This is despite the fact they have been drawn in the so called "Group of Death", Group D, with the three European powerhouses Sweden, Italy and Germany, something head coach Ben Ettridge believes will require all of their ability to respond to pressure and adversity. 

"I've said this many times - we've got that target on our back, we've been a target for many years now and that's something we wear as a badge of honour," Ettridge said.

"Teams are always going to come out and give the Australian Rollers their best effort.

"Something we've been able to do very well in the past is absorb those blows in the tournament and still be there are the pointy end competing for medals.

"The biggest thing is we don't have any expectations beyond our own."

Australia will be particularly confident given the absence of the Canadian team who beat them in the London 2012 Paralympic final, but failed to qualify this time around.

The absence of London 2012 Paralympic champions could open the door for Australia in Incheon ©Getty ImagesThe absence of London 2012 Paralympic champions could open the door for Australia in Incheon ©Getty Images




Canada, who also won the 2006 World Championships, could only finish in sixth place in the Americas Zone qualifier, meaning they will miss out on participating for the first time. 

Instead, major opposition is likely to come from European champions Great Britain - who are in Group A with Mexico, Argentina and South Korea - and London 2012 bronze medal winners United States, who are drawn with Turkey, Algeria and Colombia in Group C. 

Group B, meanwhile, consists of Japan, Iran, Spain and The Netherlands.

The Championships will continue for nine days until reaching a conclusion on July 14, with more information on the full schedule and teams participating in the Championships available here.  

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