Regina athlete wins silver in world wheelchair rugby tournament - Action News
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Saskatchewan

Regina athlete wins silver in world wheelchair rugby tournament

A Regina athlete went to the 2014 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships in Denmark as the only woman on Canada's national team. Now, Miranda Biletski has come back a silver medalist.

Miranda Biletski was one of only three women playing in the tournament in Denmark.

Miranda Biletski was the only female athlete who went to the 2014 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships in Denmark on Canada's national team. (CBC)

A Regina athlete went to the 2014 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships in Denmark last week as the only woman on Canada's national team.

On Tuesday, Miranda Biletski came back a silver medalist.

Biletski says it's the biggest honour of her wheelchair rugby career.

She was one of only three women playing in the tournament, but Biletski says women are holding their own on the field.

"Women just aren't making the teams, they're playing a prominent role. For half of our games I was on the starting lineup. The three other teams that have women --- their women were playing so it's really refreshing and a nice thing to see," said Biletski.

The game is played with full chair-to-chair contact. Players use custom-built heat-treated chairs, so they won't crack easily. The cheapest start at $6,000.

Biletski says her team is made up of a great group of people and a great coach, and being a woman is not seen as a barrier.

She says coming home with a silver medal was a bit of a disappointment, but believes it is something she will learn to be happy with.

Biletski plans on moving to Victoria, B.C. to be closer to her teammates.

"In Regina I am kind of on my own, most of my teammates are in Vancouver. So that's the big commitment right now and (I will) just keep training full time."

The team is training for the 2016 Paralympics in Rio.