Barking Sporthouse & Gym hosts London Youth Games Basketball Event
Young Londoners competed in East and West Regional 3×3 Basketball competitions this weekend.
The East Regional competition took place on Sunday 5th September at Barking Sporthouse and Gym. The event featured male and female teams competing in Year 12&U outdoor 3 x 3 Basketball tournaments.
Haringey dominated in the East winning both male and female competitions. Haringey’s male team beat Greenwich in the final to win gold, while the female team saw off tough competition from Lewisham in their final to finish in first place. Tower Hamlets took bronze in the male tournament and Newham finished third in the female tournament.
Chukwudi Diorammi, 16, who helped Haringey’s male team to victory, said: “We performed well today. We played with a lot of energy, and we loved it. This is my second time winning gold at London Youth Games. The format was different this year, but it was a lot of fun. It’s great playing at London Youth Games. There’s always good energy and it shows all the potential we have in London.”
Coach Franck Batimba said: “The team did well today. It was a slow start but, in the end, they came through. It was good to see them playing basketball again. Being at home for so long can affect your mental health in a big way and basketball is an escape for a lot of these kids so it’s great to have the London Youth Games back. The kids love competing here and they love representing their borough.”
The London Youth Games has been using the power of competitive sport to create life-changing opportunities for young Londoners for over 40 years. It has provided a pathway for some of the greatest athletes to come from the city. Dina Asher-Smith, Raheem Sterling, Alex Scott, David Weir and Mo Farah all had the opportunity to represent their boroughs growing up.
Having been forced to cut short its 2020 season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, London Youth Games is delighted to be back delivering live sport for young Londoners at a time when they need it most.