Pune: The SFA Championships 2024 Pune concluded on Thursday with Vidya Valley School, Sus, crowned overall champion. The school also earned the Largest Contingent Award with 474 participants and further showcased its all-around excellence across sports by being named the Best School for Chess, Taekwondo, and Tennis. Millennium National School, Karve Nagar, finished in second place, while The Bishops Co-Ed School, Undri, rounded out the podium in third, marking a thrilling end to the competition.
Sports For All (SFA) is committed to professionalising, organising, and monetising grassroots sports, aiming to foster a culture that values and invests in sports nationwide. The championships this year ran until November 28, roping in participants from across Pune in a hunt for the best talents. This year, more than 16,000 athletes from over 600 schools, ranging from ages 3 to 18, competed across multiple venues in the city, highlighting the event’s remarkable growth and its commitment to nurturing young sporting talent.
On the final day of the SFA Championships, The Bishops Co-Ed School, Undri, shone in football, securing gold in boys’ U-16, girls’ U-14, and both gold and silver in girls’ U-18. Millennium National School, Karve Nagar, claimed boys’ U-14 basketball gold. Elsewhere, Advait Fere of Pawar Public School and Krutika Deshmukh of Bhartiya Vidyapeeth, Rabindranath Tagore School of Excellence, won U-11 badminton singles, while SNBP Morwadi and City Pride Moshi dominated handball with multiple golds.
Later, at the closing ceremony, Samar Javalkote of Pawar Public School, Nanded City, earned the title of ‘Golden Boy’ for his three gold medals across Karate and Speedcubing, showing the prowess of both brawn and brain. Shauraya Khandelot from Sinhgad City School, Kondhwa Budruk, meanwhile, was named ‘Golden Girl’ after securing two gold medals in Karate and Throwball, displaying remarkable versatility and skill.
As the curtains fell on the event, SFA reaffirmed its commitment to celebrating the next generation of champions. Pune echoed with the powerful chant of “Ab Jeetega India,” symbolising the city’s pride in showcasing its sporting prowess and marking another significant step in India’s journey toward becoming a sporting powerhouse.
