Story by Safah Mahmood and Marwah Mahmood | Photos by Yasmin Hussain
It was Sunday 29th October. The clocks had gone back the night before. We at 39th Sheffield scout group, were ready to defend our title in the Muslim Scout Fellowship Annual North Olympics. In the opening ceremony Beavers and Cubs recited “that’s My Lord” with hand actions and we had our own chant.
Then the games began – seventeen different scout groups were being represented. There were over twelve different races to compete in. I took part in the 60m hurdles and I came first in my heat.
We asked the Beaver Leader at lunchtime how she felt the team was doing. She said “They have tried their best, and are enjoying themselves, having fun is more important than winning”.
We felt she that didn’t think we would win this year. The Scout girls’ Tug of War was difficult, but we kept our nerve and won. The boys’ team also won gold. My sister participated in the high jump, last year she won the bronze, her aim was to win silver. And she did.
At 5.30pm the atmosphere became tense as we waited for the results. The host counted down the positions – 17, 16,15 – you could see the leaders getting nervous. “The winners are 39th Sheffield” – we all screamed! Overall our team won 1st Prize for MSF Olympics North 2017, Best Boy Scout Team. 18 Gold, 11 Silver and 11 Bronze.
The next day we held a party to celebrate our success. We then held a two minute silence, to remember all those who died or were injured, in past and present wars, and especially the 400,000 Muslims that died during the First World War. We all stood for two minutes to pray and think about the consequences of war.
