A young athlete from Watford said it is a “dream come true” to get her sport on the map.
Anya Shah has been playing kho kho since she was nine years old. The ancient tag game originated in Southeast Asia, and requires two teams whose aim is to avoid being touched by members of the opposing team.
At just 17 years old, the young athlete was thrilled to represent Team England at the Kho Kho World Cup held in New Delhi in January.
Before the tournament, Anya and her team were invited to Parliament by Bob Blackman CBE, MP for Harrow East, on Tuesday, January 7, where they each received a certificate for their achievements and were entered into the World Book of Records.
The Kho Kho World Cup took place from January 13 to 19. Supported by the Kho Kho Federation of England, Anya and her team faced 23 different countries at the 14,000-seater Indira Gandhi Arena.
Despite missing out on the quarter-final by just nine points, Anya says her favourite part of the experience was “the adrenaline rush being on the pitch, speaking to reporters, and making memories”.
Speaking to WATFORDnews, Anya said: “It was one of the biggest achievements I had ever felt; it was really exciting! I didn’t know how big of a deal it was until I was standing on the pitch.”
Midway through the tournament, Anya and her team were even invited to have high tea with the British High Commissioner to the Republic of India, Lindy Cameron.
Anya added: “Competing on such a grand stage was a dream come true, and every moment of this journey will remain etched in my heart forever.
“To every young athlete out there: dream big, work hard, and never stop believing in yourself.”
Anya will now shift her focus to the nationals in the summer, followed by the Commonwealth Games and the Kho Kho European Championships.
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