Raining medals at the World School Games

The glow is still on her face: after her gold race on January 28 over 150 meters at the U11 World School Games in Dubai Sports City, Daphne Koutra is still very happy a week later. Almost more beautiful than her winning sprint was the reception at the DISD and medal presentation on the canteen stage. "That was a really proud moment for me. My friends were there and cheered for me," Daphne reports, touched. The secret to her success? "I noticed that the other runners were behind me and then just focused on the finish line," explains the eleven-year-old. Daphne certainly felt the cheers of her teammates and coach Uta Zeug-Lummel on the home stretch. "It was so great to experience the support and hear cheers," she says. The sixth-grader has competed in swimming tournaments in her home country of Greece, so she was already tested in terms of competitive excitement. However, the World School Games were her first track and field competition. "I knew I was fast. But that I would win gold, that was a surprise."

Principal Michael Lummel is also proud: "That was a real sensation! The whole team did great." Daphne and her teammates Katharina Nikolakakos, Amir Hamdan and Chris Alphonse won silver in the 4x100 meter mixed relay. Daphne completed the medal set with bronze in the 75 meters. Katharina Nikolakakos also won bronze in the 400 meters.

On Thursday, February 23, the track and field team will travel to the U13 World School Games in Dubai Sports City. There, competitors up to two years older will meet our golden girl Daphne. "I will do my best and I am especially happy that my older friends can also participate," she says.

At the World School Games in swimming, which took place at the same time, Leopold Suffel sensationally won bronze in the 50-meter breaststroke on Friday. A great success for the DISD swimming team and coach Nina Seidel.