Merissah Russell Heading to Tokyo Olympics with Canadian National Team
(Photo of Merissah Russell via FIBA)
Press Release from the University of Louisville:
TORONTO – University of Louisville women's basketball's Merissah Russell has been named to Canada's women's basketball team that will compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Russell is one of four alternates and will travel with the team to Tokyo.
In mid-June, Russell competed for Canada at the FIBA Women's AmeriCup in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She helped lead Canada to a perfect 4-0 record in pool play and a trip to the semifinals. In the win over El Salvador, she had nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from deep, while adding two steals. She had six points on 2-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc in a win over the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Canada qualified for Tokyo after going undefeated at one of four FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in Ostend, Belgium in February 2020.
The Tokyo Olympic Games will be Canada's third consecutive Olympic appearance after the team previously competed at London 2012 and at Rio 2016. The highest Olympic placement by a Canadian women's basketball team was fourth at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.
Canada is currently ranked a program-high fourth in the FIBA World Rankings.
Team Canada continues their Olympic preparations at the Toronto Raptors' temporary training facilities in Tampa, Florida. Prior to the Games, the team will travel to Kariya City, Japan, the sister city of Mississauga, Ontario, for the final pre-Olympic training camp.
Team Canada opens its Olympic tournament against Serbia on July 26 (Day 3), followed by the Republic of Korea on July 29 (Day 6) and Spain on August 1 (Day 9). The quarterfinals will take place on August 4 (Day 12), and the semifinals on August 6 (Day 14). Women's basketball will conclude on August 8 (Day 16) with the bronze and gold medal matches. All matches will be played at the Saitama Super Arena.
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