Photo Rights: Canadian Paralympic Committee
St. Thomas native Emma Reinke is returning home with hardware and a major accomplishment under her belt after helping Canada’s women’s goalball team secure silver at the 2025 IBSA Goalball Americas Championships in São Paulo, Brazil.
The international tournament, held from July 29 to August 5, served as a crucial qualifier for next year’s IBSA Goalball World Championships, set for June 2026 in Hangzhou, China.
While Canada fell to host nation Brazil 6-2 in a hard-fought final, the team successfully secured their spot on the world stage—and took one step closer to their longer-term goal: qualifying for the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
Reinke played an important role on a Canadian squad navigating its first major international competition since the retirement of veteran players Whitney Bogart and Brieann Baldock. The current lineup included Amy Burk (Charlottetown), Maryam Salehizadeh (Vancouver), Meghan Mahon and Cassandra Ruttle (Calgary), and Geneviève Hart-Baron (Ottawa).
After dominating Pool A play with wins over Nicaragua, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, and Guatemala, Canada advanced through the playoff rounds to meet Brazil in the championship final.
Team captain Amy Burk led the tournament in scoring with 29 goals (unofficially) and was praised for her defensive leadership and offensive command.
In a statement shared after the final, the team reflected on their journey, calling the silver-medal performance “a result built on trust, commitment, and determination atop a foundation of strong defense and patient offence.” They also thanked supporters back home, saying: “We could not do this without you. We are all Team Canada.”
Written by: Kennedy Freeman
