As if her “trip of a lifetime” couldn’t have been any cooler, Cowichan striker Kennedy Savory, 11, scored the lone goal for the U12 girls Nike Elite XI Academy team in a 1-0 victory over Paris FC1 in the gold-medal game at the 2025 Paris World Games July 11.

Savory’s team was the only international team in a field made up of all French squads.

The Paris World Games brings together children aged 10 to 19 for an international multi-sport tournament like no other. The event consists of four sporting categories: soccer, handball, basketball and rugby, in a multitude of age groupings for both girls and boys.

“Overall it was a phenomenal experience,” she said. “Getting to play against international teams and not only compete with them but beat them made it unforgettable. It was really cool to be able to play with girls from across Canada and make some new lifelong friends, too.”

Savory, who joined players from across Canada on the U12 Nike Elite XI Academy team, amassed seven goals in six games through her role as striker.

The team went undefeated to beat RC Argentueil 3-0, Paris FC 2 5-1, Paris 13 Athletico 8-1, Paris FC1 5-1 to reach the semi-final against Paris FC2 where they won 8-0 to set up a rematch against Paris FC1 in the final.

It was a close contest without any goals, but as the clock ticked down in the final minutes, Savory took the ball at midfield, split a pair of defenders and fired in the game-winning — and tournament-winning — goal, much to the delight of the Canadian contingent and to the Elite XI organization.

“Under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, these young women from across Canada came together, believed in one another, and made history,” said a Facebook post by Elite XI Canada. “From strangers to sisters. From dreamers to champions.”

Savory said the experience was unreal.

“This trip was the trip of a lifetime and if I came home with a gold medal that would be a dream come true,” she explained. “I beat the last defender and put it to my left foot and hammered it as hard as I could. Right as the ball came off my foot I knew it was going in the back of the net. At the end of the game I was so happy.”