Bhagria’s going for gold

St. Vital

Fort Richmond

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/07/2023 (1046 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Vivek Bhagria will be leading from the front at the upcoming World Dwarf Games.

The 28-year-old St. Vital resident will captain Team Canada at the upcoming tournament, which will be held in Cologne, Germany from July 28 to Aug. 5. It will be Bhagria’s third time competing at the event.

An avid soccer player since childhood, the Dakota Collegiate alumnus will also be taking part in badminton, basketball, boccia and volleyball at the games, as well as representing his nation on the soccer pitch.

In terms of his medal aspirations for the event, Bhagria — who is the general manager of the South Winnipeg Community Centre’s Fort Richmond site — has a clear idea what colour he wants to bring home.

“I want to bring back gold, which I haven’t done yet at worlds,” Bhagria said, noting he has silver and bronze medals in his collection to date. “I want to bring back gold for Canada, and I also want to make my friends and family proud.”

Having played soccer since the age of four, Bhagria has branched out into coaching; he’s now coaching the U13 age group, and he’s also pushing to start camps with children with dwarfism. In recent years, the former Red River College Polytechnic student has also become more involved with the Little People of Manitoba, and he’s currently an event co-ordinator and board member with the organization.

“The community has done so much for me, so I now want to give back. Only the other day I was talking to a 14-year-old boy, and I shared my story. I encouraged him to follow his dreams, not to give up, and try his hardest,” Bhagria said, noting he loves meeting new people, sharing his experiences, and learning new things.

“I continue to provide advocacy for Little People of Manitoba and creating a culture of equality and respect for all, and I would like to bring solutions and global awareness to the prominent issues affecting individuals of short stature and their families.”

Bhagria said there are about 400 types of dwarfism: “Each type of dwarfism is different than the other. Many types of dwarfism have some medical complications, but most people have an average lifespan, being productive members of society.”

In January, Bhagria also got engaged to Leytika Sharma, who has moved to Winnipeg from Ontario.

According to its website, the World Dwarf Games is the largest international sporting event held exclusively for athletes with dwarfism. More than 500 athletes from 20 countries are expected to compete in Cologne, which will be the eighth installment of the games.

Go online at wdg2023.com for more information.