The second season of NZ Sikh Games, one of the highlights and biggest community sports event held on New Zealand soil will be held in the last weekend of November 2020.
NZ Sikh Games revealed the dates of the tournament, November 28 and 29 at a press conference held in South Auckland last weekend.
NZ Sikh Games made headlines last week for hosting one of the biggest community sporting events in NZ with over 1500 participants from Australia, New Zealand, India, US and Canada. The maiden season of the event was held at Bruce Pullman Park in Takanini that was attended by over 20,000 visitors over two days and included cultural performances.
NZ Sikh Games Association will focus this 2020’s tournament completely on local sportsmen, both male and female, across 16 sports and athletic categories, as international travel has been banned due to Covid pandemic and is likely to remain shut for the rest of the year with very little movement.
Speaking to The Indian Weekender, NZ Sikh Games president, Daljeet Singh said, the aim for this year’s event will be encouraging more local talents in and across New Zealand to come and participate in this annual tournament.
The event gets attendance and participation from Sikh Temples and Associations from all regions of New Zealand, community groups, local sports teams and clubs, culture groups and senior citizens.
The games include cricket, football, kabaddi, basketball, volleyball, badminton, netball, golf, hockey etc. Each sport is divided into different age categories, domestic clubs, and teams from across the border (Australia) and held at several locations in Auckland, besides the main event station at Bruce Pullman Park.
2019 event accommodated every age group of people, some to participating as sportsmen and women, rest as spectators and others as performers in the cultural part of the event.
The hosts are expecting even bigger football this year both in terms of participation from sportsmen and women and spectators.
“We are expecting at least 20-30 per cent increase in footfall this year- keeping in mind that most likely, we will not get participants from overseas- and since the borders are closed, there is no outward travel from New Zealand as well.
“We are planning to travel to Christchurch and some other cities both in North and South Island to encourage sports clubs and young players to participate in 2020’s event- since they missed it last year,” Mr Singh said.
The poster of the event will be released in August, and registrations for all 16 sports and athletic categories will be opened for clubs, individuals and associations.