Young athletes shine at 68th National School Games, fuelling dreams of int’l glory

Yashshree Sapkal, a class 10 student from Maharashtra, stood beaming with her team as they climbed the medal podium during the 68th National School Games, Athletics (Under 17) Championship on Friday.
In conversation with Hindustan Times, Sapkal shared that her pre-board examinations are set to begin on Monday, but her passion for sports is so strong that she had been balancing both her studies and training since the start of the session, ensuring that nothing would prevent her from participating.
Sapkal, along with her team, competed in the 4×100 relay race and won the gold medal.
“Sports help in building concentration, which also aids in my studies. When I read something, I can easily recall it for my exams. I have been representing Maharashtra in various National games for about three years and I desire to win for India in an International event like the Olympics. My coaches and parents support me, and I am inspired by Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce,” said Sapkal.
She is not alone; there are many passionate young athletes who are determined to pursue their love for sports and aspire to win medals for the country one day.
Rufayada Nazir and her friend Jameela Shafi, both ninth-grade students from Jammu Kashmir, were excited not just because it was their first time participating in a national games event but also because they were representing their state. “We feel disappointed when Jammu and Kashmir is left under-represented. While, we could not win this time, the event gave us an opportunity to learn from other players and improve our techniques in various ways,” said Nazir.
Ishitba Bhunia, a class 8 student from West Bengal said that the games turned out to be a valuable learning experience. “I dedicate about four hours daily to sports. It has been a year, and I hope to make country proud, just like Dutee Chand did,” said Bhunia.
Spoorthi A, a class 10 student from Karnataka, expressed satisfaction in learning ways to improve in her sport Shot Put performance through games. “I study for 14 hours daily and dedicate about six hours to sports. I have been doing this for the last few years. Like Neeraj Chopra, I aspire to win a gold medal for India. This time, I had lower chances of winning were lower due to an injury, but I participated to learn from other players,” said Spoorthi.
Himanshu Kumar Singh, a class 11 student from Jharkhand who won a bronze medal in High Jump said that he dedicates the success to his coach and parents who supported him. “This is just the beginning. I wish to achieve a lot in my life,” said Singh.