The New Zealand wheelchair rugby team will playoff for seventh and eighth at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Barney Koneferenisi in action in the Wheel Blacks' opening match of the Tokyo Paralympics. Photo: Jeff Crow/Photosport Ltd 2021
The Wheel Blacks have been beaten 51-36 by Canada in their final pool game to finish winless at the bottom of group B.
Coach Greg Mitchell says it was an improvement from their 60-37 defeat to Great Britain 24 hours earlier.
"We definitely brought it this time. We've been a bit asleep at the wheel a couple of times, but that was certainly not the case today," Mitchell said.
"We just turned over some really easy balls. We had some good opportunities, we kept playing the solid style of game we talked about. We just didn't link up on some of those passes.
"Every game we've asked them to give their all and they did it again today."
The Wheel Blacks will face Denmark in their final classification match at 2:30pm (NZT).
Paralympic debutant Ben Tuimaseve set a new Oceania record on his way to finishing ninth in the men's F37 shot put.
With throws of 12.86, 13.31 and 13.21 he just missed out on top eight and the chance to advance to throw a further three times.
"To my friends and family and everyone in the sports that's helped me along the way, thank you very much," Tuimaseve said.
"It's my first Paralympics and I'm coming back, cause it's pretty hard to let go after feeling what I felt tonight."
Photo: SWpix
Earlier, Nicole Murray and Anna Taylor returned to the velodrome to compete in the women's C4-5 500m time trial.
Murray set a new personal best in finishing sixth, two days after just missing out on a medal in the women's C5 3000m individual pursuit.
"It was really fun today, really cool to go out there and finish on a high in the velodrome. I also managed to smash my PB and also my start lap, and that was really cool," Murray said.
Taylor clocked a time just outside her personal best to finish eighth.
"Being in the Izu Velodrome has been a surreal experience, and all the love and support I'm getting from friends and family back home has been overwhelming," Taylor said.
Nicole Murray and Anna Taylor now move to the road, for the women's time trials and road race on days seven and nine of the Tokyo Paralympics.
