Nine shining stars from across schools in Gurgaon participated in the recently concluded PARIS WORLD GAMES in the BASKETBALL Under-15 category as part of TEAM INDIA. Youth from various countries all over the world participate in this prestigious annual week-long event. The tournament this year was held in Paris, France, from July 7 till July 14, 2018, for which the India team was selected by IBSO (International Board Sports Organisation) following try-outs. For the basketball girls’ team, it was a proud moment to represent the country and hold the national flag with grace and dignity. Each team member possessed multiple skills sets which were further honed by their coaches in the rigorous camp that preceded the tournament. After much hard work and polishing of skills, the team was ready to fly out equipped with the right balance of deftness, attitude and the hunger for glory.

The squad comprised of the skilled, capable and competent coaches including Neeraj Sir and Madhup Sir, the team manager Dimple Maam and the enthusiastic, passionate and energetic girls – Navya Pathania, Manya Kapoor, Praanathi Purohit, Aditi Dua, Sweety Singh, Anusha Jain, Anais Arora, Ananya Kar and Khushi Gupta.

The values that sum up the Paris World Games include LOVE FOR THE GAME, RESPECT, COMMITMENT, TOLERANCE, and SOLIDARITY.

Statistics at a glance of the Paris World Games:
• 23 sports venues committed by the City Council of Paris
• 1600 sports fixtures
• 600 teams coming from all over the world
• 5 Olympic disciplines BADMINTON, BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL, HANDBALL and RUGBY
• 15,000 athletes
• 2,000 coaches and leaders
• 220 international referees
• 80 countries
• 250 volunteers

This annual sports congregation witnesses the coming together of young people regardless of their origin, social environment and beliefs and provides a platform to experience, discover and value the uniqueness of cultures all across the globe. The game unites all nationalities and offers an insight into the sporting world across nations that make everyone a winner.
Reflecting on the tournament, the girls found it to be an amazing exposure and experience to witness 80 countries with 600 teams that were participating in various sporting events such as badminton, basketball, football, handball, and rugby. The grand opening ceremony saw the Indian contingent marching proudly wearing India jerseys amidst glittering lights and fireworks. Athletes from many countries and cultures came together and displayed their sparks of patriotism while representing their countries.

Being the first international sporting event exposure for these budding sportspersons, the tournament was an enriching experience, competing against highly skilled players and showcased a fresh approach to the game, added strategy, training techniques and motivation levels. They also got the opportunity to experience first-hand the world-class and aspirational infrastructure, training equipment, coaching staff and stadia, all adding up for a transformational experience for the Indian team, which shall no doubt benefit their game in future. The team returned inspired, motivated and willing to put in more hard work while looking out for opportunities for participating in further tournaments across the globe to keep the INDIA flag flying high.

This article has been shared by a super proud mom and our community member Sonia Kapoor.

“A student of Grade IX of the Shriram school Aravali, Manya Kapoor is an all-rounder. Being brilliant in academics and a topper in school, she is equally good at extracurricular activities as well.

Last year my older daughter Siya Kapoor, a student of The Shriram Aravali, (who was in grade XI in 2017) went for the same tournament and the team won a bronze.

Hence both sisters were selected and have participated in the same tournament.”