CANACONA
St Anne’s Institute, Agonda, won the under-17 girls’ football tournament organised by DSYA Cluster 12, Canacona, defeating St Anthony High School, Galgibag 5-0 in the final at Karvem Grounds. St Anne’s dominated from the outset and scored four goals in the first half. They continued to control proceedings after the break before adding a fifth goal to seal the title. Gwyneth Fernandes scored twice, while Valiaka Monteiro, Anishka Gaunkar and Aisha Naik Gaonkar scored one goal each. The Agonda side were coached by physical education teacher Anjelo Silva.
St Anne’s also secured third place in the under-17 boys’ tournament organised by DSYA Cluster 12. They defeated GHS Goval-Khola 1-0 in the third-place playoff at Karvem, with Sachin Biswas scoring the decisive goal.
Holy Cross students shine at karate c'ship
MARGAO: Students of Holy Cross Institute, Quepem, won seven medals, including three gold and four bronze, at the Cluster 8 Interschool Karate Championship. Ten students from the school also qualified for the state-level competition. In the under-14 boys category, Ritesh Gawali won gold, while Aarush Velip secured bronze. Aryan Khan also qualified for the state-level competition. In the under-14 girls category, Shreya Acharya bagged gold, while Avani Naik and Tashvi Pujari won bronze medals. In the under-17 boys category, Avadhut Shahapurkar clinched gold and Kushagra Phal Desai secured bronze. Vinayak Patil and Neeraj Pawaskar also qualified for the state-level competition. The students achieved the feat under martial arts coach Lohit Vadar and physical education teacher Aadya Verlekar.
D’Silva honoured with Asian Excellence Award
PANAJI: Kennedy D’Silva, director of the Karuna Football Foundation, has been honoured with the Asian Excellence Award 2026 in the category “Humanitarian Excellence through Sports”. The award, organised by Oberon Production, recognises D’Silva’s work using football to promote inclusion, community development and opportunities for young people. Through the Afro Asia Compassion Football initiative, D’Silva has worked with 70 coaches in East Africa, including at the Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement in Uganda, training them in football and life skills. The coaches have since formed more than 40 community teams and run a year-round football league. His work has also extended to the Philippines and Kerala, where football-based and Unified Sports programmes have been conducted for children and communities affected by the Wayanad landslides.
D’Silva attributed the recognition to the support of his team, including Milton Fernandes, Ishan Gaikwad, Victor Vaz of Special Olympics Bharat Goa and Gifton Prince from Wayanad, as well as his family and benefactors of the Karuna Football Foundation. He has also initiated programmes in Sri Lanka and is expected to expand his work using sport to support marginalised communities there.
