Gurugram (Haryana) [India], November 4 (ANI): The International Schools Sports Organisation (ISSO) successfully hosted its National Athletics Championship at the prestigious Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Gurugram recently, bringing together around 800 student-athletes from 104 schools across the country.
The three-day track and field spectacle featured competitions across Under-14, Under-17, and Under-19 categories for both boys and girls, providing a platform for young athletes to showcase their talent and compete for top honours, according to a release.
The championship commenced with an inspiring opening ceremony inaugurated by Chief Guest Rampal Chahar, celebrated Indian Paralympian and Asian Para Games medallist. Addressing the young athletes during the march-past and flag-hoisting ceremony, Chahar shared insights on perseverance, athletic discipline, and overcoming adversity to excel on the international stage.
Reflecting on the scale and passion witnessed during the tournament, Gaurav Dixit, Director, ISSO, said, "At ISSO, our mission is to build robust, professional, and world-class sporting platforms for student-athletes in international schools. Watching young boys and girls across the U-14, U-17, and U-19 divisions shatter personal bests and push their boundaries at Tau Devi Lal Stadium is a testament to the rising standard of school sports in India. We extend our heartiest congratulations to all the winners and participating schools, and our deepest gratitude to Paralympian Rampal Chahar for inspiring our future champions."
Sanjay Ghodawat International School Clinches Overall Championship
Sanjay Ghodawat International School emerged as the Overall School Champion with an impressive 176 points, finishing ahead of Indus International School, Hyderabad, which secured the first runner-up position with 109 points. CS Academy International finished third with 77 points to claim the second runner-up position, capping off a competitive three-day championship.
Individual Championships and Star Performers
The championship witnessed several outstanding individual performances across the six age and gender divisions, with multiple athletes claiming gold medals in more than one event.
In the Under-14 Boys category, Jaxon Keats Hall of The British School, New Delhi, emerged as one of the standout performers, winning gold in the 100m (11.76s), 200m (24.34s) and 4x100m Relay. Jayden Pereira of St. Stanislaus International School also enjoyed an impressive outing, claiming gold in the 400m (58.55s) and silver medals in both the 100m and 200m. In the field events, Dev Eeshwar Kalaimani of Vaels International School secured a double gold, winning the Shot Put with a throw of 11.96m and the Discus Throw with 39.79m.
The Under-17 Boys division saw Zohraab Abraham K of Neev Academy deliver a remarkable triple-gold performance, winning the 200m (22.49s), 400m (50.27s) and 110m Hurdles (15.59s). Om Eeshwar Kalaimani of Vaels International School dominated the throwing events, securing gold medals in Shot Put (16.18m) and Discus Throw (37.03m).
In the Under-19 Boys category, Mukund Verma of NH Goel World School clinched gold in both the Long Jump (6.66m) and Triple Jump (13.73m), besides securing bronze in the 100m. Vishal Prajwal of Indus International School, Bengaluru, won gold in the 110m Hurdles (16.78s) and Javelin Throw (44.87m), along with silver in the High Jump. His schoolmate Pranay Singhal also impressed in the throwing events, claiming gold in Discus Throw (33.61m) and Hammer Throw (35.51m).
Among the Under-14 Girls, Utkarshini Bhovad of Brainiacs International showcased her versatility on the track with three gold medals in the 200m (27.02s), 400m (1:03.46) and 600m (1:49.65). Keya Patel of Ahmedabad International School also recorded a triple-gold finish, winning the 80m Hurdles (12.44s), Long Jump (4.94m) and High Jump (1.40m). Zia Sanghvi of JBCN International School, Parel, dominated the throwing events with gold medals in Shot Put (10.88m) and Discus Throw (28.90m).
The Under-17 Girls division featured impressive performances from Akshara Sree Bhuvanesh of CS Academy International, who secured gold in the Long Jump (5.15m) and Triple Jump (11.23m). Ananya Venkatesan of KC High International School displayed remarkable endurance, claiming gold in the 800m (2:34.47), 1500m (5:33.82) and 3000m (12:22.94). Saroj Kale of Ashoka Global Academy also enjoyed a successful championship, winning gold in the 200m (26.79s) and 400m (1:03.77), besides securing silver in the 800m.
The Under-19 Girls category witnessed several exceptional performances, with Diya Joshi of Indus International School, Pune, winning three gold medals in the 200m (26.60s), 100m Hurdles (16.72s) and Long Jump (5.10m). Esha Gurjar of NH Goel World School also completed a treble of gold medals in the middle and long-distance events, winning the 800m (2:35.12), 1500m (5:15.00) and 3000m (11:39.89). Vriddhi Agarwal of Indus International School, Bengaluru, secured gold in the Discus Throw (27.07m) and Javelin Throw (26.40m), along with silver in Shot Put. Siddhi Shailesh Kalbhor of overall champions Sanjay Ghodawat International School was another standout performer, winning gold in the 400m (1:00.99), 4x100m Relay and 4x400m Relay, in addition to silver in the 200m.
The championship concluded with a grand medal distribution and trophy presentation ceremony, recognising the top track and field achievers across all age divisions and celebrating their dedication, competitive spirit and sportsmanship. (ANI)
ISSO National Athletics meet concludes on high note at Tau Devi Lal Stadium
