KCL made a long-overdue return to the London Kokni Sports Day — and what a
comeback it was. With two teams entered, there was no shortage of drama, passion, and proud moments for the community.

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🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Teams

Team 1: Ajmal Parkar, Shaed Parkar, Owais Parkar, Asim Tambe, Faheem Parkar,
Wajahat Parkar, Abdur-Rehman Dada, Nadeem Poptani

Team 2: Nihaad Kapdi, Waseem Parkar, Zainudeen Parkar, Badrudin Parkar, Rafid
Mukadam, Marco Ibrahim, Zakariya Modak, Shuaib Dalvi

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Tournament Journey

Team 1 gave it their all but narrowly missed out on the semi-finals. Despite
strong performances and determination, the side lacked that finishing edge in their final game, which would have secured
progression.

Team 2, however, went one step further. After a group-stage defeat to Team
Vibes, they fought back brilliantly in the semi-final to knock the same team out. The match went all the way to a penalty
shootout, where KCL had to show real bottle under pressure — and they delivered, holding their nerve to book a place in the
final.

In the final, they faced the formidable KazPacs, regular winners of the tournament and a side renowned for their pedigree in
Kokni football. Despite an impressive fight and plenty of spirit, Team 2 fell just short against the seasoned champions. Still,
reaching the final at the first attempt, and with a team pulled together at the last minute thanks to a huge push from our
Chair, Nihaad, was an outstanding achievement. Team 2 proudly brought home
the runners-up medals.

Adding to the positives, Ajmal Parkar not only finished as the joint top
goalscorer of the tournament, but also scored a hat-trick — no small feat given the challenging state of the pitch. A standout
moment that deserves recognition.

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Races & Athletics Success

The day wasn’t just about football — KCL kids and women also shone in the athletics events, bringing home medals and showing the
community’s all-round sporting talent.

• Zidaan Dada claimed silver in the egg and spoon race and
  went one better by winning the adult and child relay race.

• Aadam Parkar won bronze in the sprint for his age group, 6-8

• Sumaya Parkar won bronze in the adult and child relay

• In the women’s races, Ra’eesa Parkar brought home a
  bronze medal in the adult sprint, while
  Farihah Parkar powered to a
  silver medal.

• The women also impressed in the 4x100m relay, with the team of
  Ra’eesa Parkar, Aneesa Parkar, Farihah Parkar and Sabah Parkar securing a
  silver medal.

A brilliant effort across the board, showing that KCL talent runs deep through both football and athletics.

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Community Spirit

This tournament marked not just a return to competitive football, but also a reminder of the value of sport in bringing our
community together. The players on the pitch gave their all, but the support from the stands was just as important.

A special thanks goes to those who travelled to watch and cheer on the teams. Your backing lifted the players and made the day
even more special.

A huge shout out to the London Kokni Community for organising the event and to all the volunteers of all ages who made it
possible. You were fantastic hosts, and it was wonderful to see both familiar faces and new ones throughout the day.

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Looking Ahead

This marks the beginning of something we hope will become a tradition — a regular KCL presence at the London Kokni Sports Day every year. Football, athletics, community spirit, and togetherness were all on display, and the foundations are set for even
more success in the future.

A great day out for all ages — and a proud return for KCL sport.