Aahana Benil George, a talented basketball player from Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, has been named to join the Indian U18 (Women) basketball team on Sunday. She is qualified to compete in the esteemed FIBA 3X3 U18 World Cup 2024 in Debrecen, Hungary. Notably, she is the first and youngest player from Gujarat to be selected for the Indian U18 team.
The 16-year-old has advanced remarkably in her basketball career to date. This will be her first international tournament as well. She started playing the sport when she was just 12 years old and has advanced through the ranks rapidly. Aahana, who is presently a Class XII student, is 188 cm (6′ 2″) tall and has impressive talent of balancing her academic and athletic endeavours.
Aahana’s dedication to basketball is evident through her participation in various high-level tournaments. She has represented Gujarat State in the Khel Mahakumbh, School Games Federation of India (SGFI) and both District and State Championships, showcasing her strength in both Junior and Senior teams.
Additionally, her inclusion in the Gujarat Senior Women’s team since 2022 and her participation in National Coaching Camps further highlight her commitment and dedication to the sport.
Since 2022, Aahana has been a beneficiary of the Khelo India Athlete (KIA) programme, which is supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports at the Sports Authority of India (SAI). Her ongoing training at the Akanksha Singh Basketball Academy (ASBA) in Bangalore, followed by her enrolment at SAI, Rajnangaon, has been crucial in her growth as a player.
Shanti Asiatic School (Ahmedabad), Ahmedabad District Basketball Association, Gujarat State Basketball Association (GSBA), Sports Authority of Gujarat (SAG) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) have all played integral roles in nurturing her talent and shaping her basketball career.
GSBA President Shakti Sinh Gohil and Secretary Shafiq Shaikh also congratulated her for qualifying and soaring to heights.
She attributes her achievements to the expert guidance and training provided by her coaches, including Narendra Desai, Shaqil Shaikh, Mahesh Srimali, Vishva Dhiman, Indravijaysinh Gohil, Udita Tyagi, Nehal Ramani, Arnika Gujar, Malay Goswami, Shefali Joshi, Prakash Pakhania and David Colaco.
Her participation in the FIBA 3X3 U18 World Cup 2024 will be a proud moment for India as she steps onto the global stage to showcase her talent and dedication.
Aahana George, Gunvi Agrawal, Anaya Bhavsar and Gunjan Mantri are the players in the Indian team for the FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup 2024. 20 teams are competing in the men’s and women’s categories, divided into four pools of five teams each. Each pool’s teams will play one match against each other; the top two teams advance to the quarterfinals.
It is slated from August 26-30, 2024.
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