Mount Gambier wheelchair basketball star Kane Downie is shooting goals as he prepares for the biggest competition of his life.
Downie was recently selected for the U23 Australian Spinners wheelchair basketball team to compete in the 2025 International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IBWF) World Championship in Sao Paulo, Brazil from June 12-20.
Fellow South Australians Cooper Spillane and Alex Blackmore were also selected in the team who – along with Downie – were part of the state wheelchair basketball team that won the Kevin Coombs Cup National Junior Wheelchair Championship last month for the first time in the event’s 17-year history.
“It was definitely good when I saw the team list and they were both in there as well, they are really good and it felt good that some of the SA boys are finally playing for Australia,” Downie said.
“We have a few (South Australian) girls who play for Australia, but we have never really had boys that have played.
“I feel like it’s definitely good for the state since there’s South Australian players coming out and there’s quite a few.”
There are two competition groups in the 12 team tournament with Australia in Group A meaning they will play Canada, Israel, Germany, Turkey and Brazil.
Downie said he was happy to be selected and that all his hard work and training has paid off.
“I am excited to go over there and play and verse all the countries in the Under 23s,” he said.
“I feel like Canada and Germany will be the hard teams in our pool.”
Downie is currently training with South Australia six days a week, but will join other team members in an intensive four-day camp in Melbourne next week in preparation for the world championships.
“I feel like (in camp) we will be watching tapes and learning the best players from each team and learning strategies and tactics and how to beat every team,” Downie said.
“Most of us have played (together) before … but there are a few new people who have come in, so it will be good to work with them and see what their strengths are and how it can benefit them and ourselves.
“Training is basically ball handling and ball skills and then lots of pushing. Some other days we are doing all cardio, just pushing constantly.
“Gym is trying to get stronger in the arms and the upper body, so you can push harder and quicker so you can shoot better.
“I am just trying to consistently train and stay in the loop. I am currently working on getting quicker and my first two pushes to be harder, so then I am going quicker.
“I feel like I have improved on it, but I still definitely have a lot of potential to get quicker.”
