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USA Khalsa retains Sikh IDC title
WSN Bureau
 FIJI: USA Khalsa is looking to make it three years in a row next
year after the side retained Sikh IDC title for the second year
running at Bukhurst Park this afternoon.
The visitors defeated Lautoka 2-0 after the game went into extra
time when the scores had settled nil-all.
The first half of extra time saw no goals scored, exhaustion
creeping into the two camps but USA refused to give up in the second
half to bag their two goals from Randy Singh and Jeffery Singh.
"I am very proud of my team, we overcame a lot of adversaries, we
lost a man in the game and played with only 14 men, playing five
games in the tournament for three days, the weather got a lot of
getting used to but we overcame all that to win back to back and I
am very proud of my boys," captain, Gatindar Dassey.
"I encouraged them at halftime of extra half-we knew it was now or
never and I told them to keep at and give it their best shot."
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Fiji has a
dedicated and thriving Sikh community. From 1900- 1930 Sikhs
from Punjab came to the Fiji Islands and became involved in
farming, especially the sugarcane industry. The Punjabis have
established themselves irreversibly, firmly and successfully in
Fiji. The colorful and distinctive culture of the Punjabis have
indeed contributed to the variety and attractiveness of Fiji.
There are five
Gurdwaras in different parts of Fiji. They also have one
Kindergarten, three Primary schools and one Khalsa College.
There are about 800 members in the Sikh community in Lakoutta
and about 1,500 in Fiji.
People of Indian
descent have settled in Fiji for over 130 years and now
constitute over 350,000 people. Most Punjabis arrived in Fiji
during early 1900's.
In Fiji however,
the earliest Indians were brought over to the Fiji islands in by
the British. They were brought to the Fiji Islands by the
British Raj in India under 5 year term, but when they arrived in
Fiji they were forced to work do menial labour for the
Europeans. |
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 "We got a break when they had a player sent out at extra time so
that leveled the playing field a little with the numbers back up and
we kept pushing nothing to hold back for and we gave it everything
we had."
"We have very young boys, fitness was a concern but we stuck in
there but I am very happy, we stuck in there, kudos to my team."
He said despite their lack of fitness, the boys struck through and
made their families back in America very happy.
"The other teams were really good and the competition has gone up an
amazing level. This is definently confirmation for our spot in the
tournament next year."
"We want to make it three in a row baby," Dassey added.
26
March 2008
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