SFA Championships 2024: ‘She is Gold’ Day Celebrates Girl Athletes and Their Incredible Skills

The SFA Championships 2024 in Delhi marked a significant occasion today with the ‘She is Gold’ day, dedicated to showcasing the talent and achievements of young female athletes. In a display of inclusivity and empowerment, 80 per cent of the matches held across various venues featured female participants, coaches, and officials, highlighting their growing presence and excellence in sports.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma Begins Training For IND vs NZ, BGT 2024-25 in Mumbai | WATCH VIDEO

'She is Gold' Day Shines Bright at SFA Championships 2024 in Delhi

‘She is Gold’ day underlined SFA’s commitment to enabling equal opportunities and creating platforms for young girls to shine at a grassroots level on the national stage. This year, 14,500 athletes aged 3 to 18 from 545 schools are competing in 19 sports across five venues in the SFA Championships. Of those sports, Athletics features the most female participants, highlighting the growing popularity of the track & field disciplines in the country. Meanwhile, in Gymnastics, the female athletes outnumber the male.

“As we celebrate 'She is Gold,' we recognize the invaluable contributions of women in sports, not just as athletes but as coaches, mecntors, and leaders. This day is a tribute to their impact on the world of sports. At Sports For All, we are committed to ensuring that every girl and woman has the opportunity to shine and succeed in the world of sports, and today is a celebration of that journey,” said Rajas Joshi, Founding Member and Chief Operating Officer of SFA.

Shooting saw heightened female participation on ‘She is Gold’ day, with one participant in particular bringing her burgeoning list of accolades with her to the shooting range. Young Saina Chowdhury has been shooting since she was 10; in the three years since she has been active, she has collected a whopping 53 medals, including at the Delhi State Championship.

“This is the second time I participated in the SFA Championship and last year I won the gold medal in the 10m Air Pistol. I like participating here as it provides me with good competition and exposure before my seeding events,” Saina said, after adding to her gold medal tally with a victory in the U-14 Girls 10m Air Pistol event.

Witnessing the action from the sidelines as a jury member on ‘She is Gold’ day was Lovleen Kaur, who has represented India internationally in shooting and won medals at the South Asian Games, Asian Shooting Championships, and Junior World Cup. Loveleen, who is a seasoned coach now, highlighted the platform provided to the talented prodigies through the SFA Championships.