GB send Women’s 3x3 side to compete in European Youth Olympic Festival

A squad of U18 GB Women youth players will travel to Skopje, in North Macedonia, to take part in the biennial European Youth Olympic Festival this month.

The EYOF, as it is regularly referred to, is sponsored by the International Olympic Committee and provides an arena for young athletes to experience the fire of international competition and learn the values under the Olympic Charter.

For Great Britain, it is an opportunity to develop the skills and adaptability of their athletes and staff within a multi-sport environment, whilst coming together as a single GB team.

The tournament this year will feature 15 different disciplines and over 2500 athletes, across 15 competition venues, supported by more than 900 volunteers, and will award 477 medals in total.

Haley Wright playing at U18 Women's EuroBasket

The GB Women’s 3x3 Basketball team will travel with the rest of Team GB to Skopje on 18 July, ahead of the Opening Ceremony on 20 July.

They will play their first game against Ukraine at 2:00 pm (BST) on 23 July, before facing Hungary at 5:50 pm (BST) that same day. Their final seeded match will take place against France on 24 July at 5:50 pm (BST), which will determine their fixture on 25 July.

This is an invaluable opportunity for GB’s rising stars to acquire experience playing 3x3 basketball at the highest level, understanding the intensity and level required to succeed on the international stage.

Coach Oli Parr, currently acting as assistant manager for the Women’s U18 team at EuroBasket in Lithuania, will lead GB to EYOF as the Head Coach.

Also a coach for the Loughborough University and Kent Crusaders, Parr is dedicated to promoting young British talent. Whilst this will be his first time coaching 3x3 for GB, his rapport with the players, having coached them already this summer, and his understanding of how to help players improve their game makes him the ideal candidate to lead this promising young side.

The squad selected to compete in Skopje is as follows:

• Irene Oboavwoduo
• Bo Guttormsdottir Frost
• Haley Wright
• Maisie Keyes

Reserves

• Tiarna Chambers- Desmond
• Fleur Gamal

All six of these players featured in the U18 Women’s EuroBasket Division B this July.

Bo Guttormsdottir Frost returns for another GB competiton

Irene Oboavwoduo in 'One to Watch'

Bo Guttormsdottir Frost is a GB prodigy. At just 16 years old, Bo is competing in her second U18 EuroBasket and has already featured for the Women’s Senior team in their 2025 EuroBasket Qualifiers.

A highly talented, sharpshooting wing, Frost’s length and offensive versatility will prove key for GB’s efforts in Macedonia.

Haley Wright has been playing in America in the NCAAW for California State University, Long Beach. As a 6’2” centre, Wright’s ability to grab rebounds and operate in tight spaces under the basket is essential in 3x3, where each possession is of heightened importance.

Irene Oboavwoduo is a balanced guard who will be tasked with handling the ball and facilitating the GB offence.

In 2024, Irene was recognised as the MVP of the U16 Four Nations competition and was ranked third out of thousands of athletes in SportsAid’s ‘One to Watch’ Award.

Maisie Keyes plays for Endeavour Ipswich Basketball, one of the top youth basketball programmes in the country. She also claimed victory at the U16 Four Nations, alongside Oboavwoduo, and will provide additional guard play for GB in Skopje.

Tiarna Chambers-Desmond, who played significant minutes for the SLB professional side, Nottingham Wildcats, and 6’3” forward Fleur Gamal of the Edinburgh Blaze, stand in reserve, but won’t travel with the team.