TORONTO (Canada) - Natalie Achonwa is set to reach a historic landmark after Canada revealed their final selection for the Olympic Women's Basketball Tournament Paris 2024.
The veteran will provide her usual towering presence as she prepares to become the first women's basketball player for her country to appear at four editions.
Although Achonwa also confirmed it will be the end of an era, since she will be hanging up her national team game shoes after the curtain comes down at the event.
She said: "It’s always an incredible honor to represent my country at an Olympic Games. Regardless of the tournament or competition, the pride I feel putting on a Canada jersey is always the same.
"And knowing this is my last time in that jersey, I want to cherish every second of this journey. As a team, our focus and messaging have been the same. We’re all invested in the grind and putting in the work together now to be our absolute best when the lights come on in Paris."
Canada can rely heavily on all of their trusted core and stars, with every big-hitter confirmed on the list. This includes the likes of guard duo Kia Nurse and Bridget Carleton who are both capable of challenging for the top scorer crown.
Meanwhile the frontcourt boasts Kayla Alexander who was epic at the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Sopron back in February.
"I am looking forward to competing alongside my teammates at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games," said Alexander, who made her Olympic debut in Tokyo.
"It’s a dream to represent Canada playing a sport I love at the highest level. The journey is never easy, or smooth sailing, but it’s made me that much more appreciative of this opportunity."
There will also be four debutantes taking their first steps at the Games after Yvonne Ejim, Sami Hill, Cassandre Prosper and Syla Swords were named on the list.
Both Prosper and Swords were still playing at youth level last year, starring for their nation at the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup.
Swords is also the daughter of Shaun Swords, who proudly represented Canada in Sydney in 2000. At 18 years old, she will become the youngest basketball player to ever play for Canada at the Olympic Games. “We’re excited about the team we’ve built to proudly represent Canada this summer in Paris,” said head coach Víctor Lapena.
"After finishing fourth in the last [FIBA Women's Basketball] World Cup, we’re looking to take that next step as a program.
"Eight players on the team have previously represented Canada at the Olympic Games, and this experience will undoubtedly prove invaluable in key moments throughout the tournament.
"As we prepare for the Games over the next several weeks, we will continue to prioritize getting better as a group every day until the end of the Olympics," he concluded.
Canada will play in their fourth consecutive edition and eighth in total, it will also be a special games for Canadian basketball since it is the first time in 24 years that both the women's and the men's teams have competed alongside each other.
FIBA