Australia's Rollers Claim Third IWBF World Title

Australia’s Rollers have reclaimed the summit of wheelchair basketball, overpowering previously unbeaten Italy 81-57 in Canada to secure their third IWBF World Championships crown.

Unbeaten in Ottawa. Unmatched in the final.

This was not a contest that slowly simmered into life. Australia seized it from the opening tip and never loosened their grip, leading at every break and turning a supposed heavyweight clash into a statement win that echoed their triumphs in 2010 and 2014.

Brown ignites, captain commands

Jaylen Brown lit up the final with the performance of the night. He poured in a game-high 28 points, setting the tone as the Rollers attacked Italy’s defence with pace and precision.

Alongside him, captain Tom O'Neill-Thorne orchestrated the game with authority. He finished with 20 points, but the scoring only told part of the story. His 16 assists carved Italy open again and again, his seven rebounds underlining how complete his performance was. Every time Italy tried to adjust, O'Neill-Thorne found another angle, another open teammate, another way to hurt them.

Bill Latham added a strong supporting role, contributing 12 points, seven rebounds and two assists. His presence on both ends gave Australia balance and bite.

Rollers outclass unbeaten Italy

Italy arrived in the gold-medal game undefeated, brimming with confidence and form. The Rollers stripped that away quarter by quarter.

Australia’s ball movement was ruthless. They racked up 29 assists to Italy’s 19, a gulf that reflected how cleanly and consistently they generated good looks. The scoreboard followed that pattern, the lead stretching as the Rollers’ offence flowed and Italy chased shadows.

On the glass, Australia were just as sharp, winning the rebounding battle 35-25. Every loose ball seemed to fall to a yellow singlet, every second chance fuelling another wave of pressure.

And when Italy tried to respond, they ran into a wall. The Rollers’ defensive intensity never dipped. They forced 13 turnovers and coughed up only nine themselves, a control of possession that strangled any hope of an Italian comeback.

By the final buzzer, the outcome felt inevitable. Australia were not only champions again; they looked every inch the standard-setters of international wheelchair basketball, with a third world title now etched alongside 2010 and 2014 in the Rollers’ growing legacy.