Germany down Australia for basketball gold

LONDON (AFP) –

Germany’s Annabel Breuer (C) and Australian players during their women’s wheelchair basketball final at the London Paralympics on September 7. Germany beat Australia 58-44 to condemn the Gliders to a third Paralympics final defeat.

Germany beat Australia 58-44 in the women’s wheelchair basketball gold medal match to condemn the Gliders to a third Paralympics final defeat.

Germany made it seven wins out of seven at the London 2012 Games to take the gold at the North Greenwich Arena before a 13,000-strong crowd on Friday, going one better than the silver they achieved at Beijing 2008.

Australia won the bronze four years ago, having taken silver at Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000.

“We have had many tournaments over the last seven years and we have won medals, not gold, but we have been doing this step by step,” said Germany coach Holger Glinicki.

“We had a silver medal in Beijing and now we are at the end, we have reached our pinnacle.”

Australia coach Johhn Triscari said: “The ball would not go in the hole. It was one of those games where the shots did not drop. I thought our defence was still pretty tough, but down the stretch their shots dropped but ours didn’t.

“It is a funny game this. If the ball does not go through the steel thing with the rope on it you do not win.

“I am not crying. I am still proud of my girls. It is disappointing that we did not get the gold medal, but I am so proud of the girls and they did a remarkable job.”

The Netherlands delivered their best performance of the competition in their 71-47 defeat of the United States, the defending champions, to win the bronze medal.