Kai and his Aussie Gold teammates sizzle on court to bring home the gold

WAHROONGA'S Kai Healy picked up a gold medal in the three-on-three basketball competition at the Youth Olympic Festival.

WAHROONGA'S Kai Healy picked up a gold medal in the three-on-three basketball competition at the 2013 Australian Youth Olympic Festival.

The 16-year-old and his team faced rain, sun, record temperatures and a change of venue, as well as some of the best young talent in the world, on their way to an eventual final play-off against another Australian team.

Kai and his Aussie Gold team got off to a flying start, defeating Guam 21-3, New Zealand 17-9 and Aussie Green 18-12.

The basketball court was sizzling in the heat, but it didn't matter where Kai and his team were playing - they were there for one thing only, the gold medal.

In the final, the Aussie Gold team were leading by seven, and Kai closed the match with two free throws to reach the maximum 21 points to win and walk away with gold.

The Australian Youth Olympic Festival is designed to provide an Olympic-style experience from start to finish.

Kai was joined by 1700 other athletes from 30 nations contesting 17 sports in various venues across Sydney.

The basketball competition was one of the most popular events at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010.

Kai was selected for the Australian side after impressing selectors at last year's nationals. The teenager plays for the Hornsby Spiders.