Sports Day at Ascend, an event that simply began as a small 50m race on the lawn, over the last decade has transformed into one of the most awaited days of the year. Over the last year, with the implementation of house’s and leagues, the competitive spirit of the Ascend community has only grown. This year, students visited Wings Sports ground on two separate occasions, one in December and one the week prior to Sports Day, allowing students to get a feeling of the day itself. This year, Arjun Shah lifted the cup for the Blue House, cementing the first time the Blue House has ever won Sports Day.
The action kicked off the week before Sports Day, with the grueling 800m race finals, setting the stage for an intense competition. Kavya Hebbar and Jayahtara Bhupal from red house dominated the senior and junior girls’ 800m, earning critical early points. In the senior boys’ race, Madhav Somaiya from Green defended his title from the last year, while Ali Merchant claimed victory for blue in the junior boys’ category. The actual day began at 8:30 am as house captains led warm ups to prepare their teams. The march followed shortly after, an incredible display of competition and house pride, with captains and flag bearers leading their houses around the ground, and parents cheering on. Next was the torch-bearing ceremony, a symbolic moment mirroring last year’s, celebrating the spirit of sportsmanship and unity. Each house nominated four members to proudly carry the torch as Ascend’s band played a procession that perfectly accompanied the atmosphere around the ground.
Blue’s juniors set the tone early on, dominating the track events, while their seniors showcased their strength on the field through events like shot-put, long jump and high jump. Red’s was equally impressive; and as the day progressed murmurs whispered through the crowd, predicting that lifting the trophy was going to prove to be a tight fight between Blue and Red. Meanwhile, Yellow and Green took a different approach, focusing on spirit and cleanliness to maximise their points, despite their lower turnouts. Yellow in particular stood out, as even with only half their members present, they had a DIY mascot, handmade posters to rally their housemates proving that Sports Day was as much as it was showing up for your team as it was about athletic performance.
The parents’ race took on added significance this year. Each participating parent earned two points for their child’s house, with additional points awarded for making the podium. Students urged their parents on and the energy was incredible as students cheered them on, with timed heats adding on another layer of intensity. Parents were able to join in on the spirit of the day and help out the houses in whatever ways they could.
As the day progressed, Red had a small edge over Blue on the scoreboard, but it all came down to the tug-of-war. Blue had one last chance to claim the 50 points that could tilt the win in their favour. Both Red and Green didn’t make it to the finals, with the final match pitting Blue against Yellow. If Yellow won, Red could clinch the cup, but if Blue triumphed, the trophy was truly down to the wire. Red and Yellow supporters gave it their all, cheering Yellow on. Blue won the first round, and Yellow fought back in the second, setting the stage for a critical final round. The whistle blew, and while both teams pulled with all their might, Blue managed to win, securing them those extra 50 points.
The Best Athlete trophies were eagerly awaited, with Kavya Hebbar and Aarez Zaidi of Red claiming the trophies for Senior Best Female and Male athlete. Shyanna Shetty and Ali Merchant from Blue took the titles in the grades 8-9 category, while Jayahatara Bhupal and Aryan Bhatia from Red and Yellow, respectively taking the titles in the 6-7 category. However the true highlight of the day came at the very end, with every team on edge and the crowd holding its breath. Red and Blue were the most nervous, with Blue hoping their tug-of-war victory would be enough to secure the title. Meanwhile, Green and Yellow focused on avoiding last place, with Green able to secure third. As teams huddled together, Mr Tonderai finally announced the second-place winner, the air was thick with anticipation–parents recording on their phones and students whispering anxiously. When “Red” echoed through the ground, it was clear: Blue had secured victory. Cheers erupted, chants filled the air and laughter spread as students celebrated their win. Blue’s captain, Arjun Shah lifted the trophy high.
Sports Day at Ascend has truly evolved into an event that showcases not just athletic talent, but unity and spirit . The day’s intense performance resulted in students pushing themselves to their limits, just to show up for their houses, resulting in a thrilling finish.