Swimming Nationals begin tomorrow

by Leslie Fernando

The National Swimming, Diving, Waterpolo and Synchronised Swimming Championships the four-in-one aquatic meet conducted by the Interim Committee of the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) will be held from October 20 to 22 at the Sugathadasa Stadium pool.

Swimming Nationals will be a trial to pick swimmers for the national training pool in preparation for the 2006 South Asian Games to be held in Colombo said DIG Sirisena Herath, the President of the Interim Committee of SLASU at a press conference held at the NGO pavilion.

The Sports Ministry will meet all expenses as the nationals is part of selection trial for SA Games. The SLASU Interim Committee have set standard timings to the swimmers to be selected to the national pool. DIG Herath added that SLASU also have decided to hold Junior National Swimming, Diving, and Waterpolo championships in Kandy next month. This championship were long overdue and due to unavoidable reasons the meet was not held.

Thirty eight events including six relays will be worked off for both men and women in the swimming championships. All heats and preliminaries will be held during the morning session, commencing at 9.30 a.m.

All finals wil be held in the afternoon starting at 2.30 p.m. said J. A. S. Somachandra, Meet Director. Somachandra also added that out of the 38 events, 8 events will be held as timed finals-1500 metres freestyle, 200 metres butterfly, 400 metres freestyle, 400 metres individual medley (men) 800 metres freestyle, 200 metres butterfly, 400 metres freestyle, and 400 metres individual Medley (women).

Diving

There will be one metre, three-metres spring board diving and platform diving 5 1/2 metres, 7 1/2 metres and 10 metres. All diving events will commence at 11 a.m. each day.

Synchronised swimming

The Synchronised swimming will consist of four events, solo, duets, teams and routine combination. These events will take place on October 21 and 22. The draw will be held on October 20 at 4.30 p.m. All competitors should perform for about 30 minutes before the winners are found.

Waterpolo

The finals of the men's knockout waterpolo tournament will be on October 22 at 5 p.m. on completion of the final day swimming events. The women's final has been fixed for October 21 at 4 p.m.

At the 2004 Nationals, Sri Lanka Navy and Mahamaya College, Kandy emerged men's and women's overall champions in swimming.

Asian International School and Bishop's College won the men's and women's diving championship titles. S. Thomas' College and Sri Lanka Air Force became men's and women's waterpolo champions.

Visakha Vidyalaya took the Synchronised Swimming Competition. Milinda Wickremasinghe of St. Joseph's College and Prabha Madhavi Dharmadasa of Asian International School were adjudged the best men's and women's swimmer. Jeewan Kumaratunga, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs will be the chief guest on October 22.