Annesley and Sean sportingly united

Sporting personalities with Ken de Joodt

PERSONALITIES: So often good teamwork is seen in the sporting arena and appreciated amidst much applause, for the great performance of each player, who plays a part to achieve the desired results - directly towards sound success and victory! As in many sports, we marvel at the good understanding, the dedication, the purpose, the objective, the strength, the wisdom and of course the importance of partnering with one another, to climax in joy.

While watching the recent cricket Test match and marvelling at the manner in which Sri Lanka's two classiest batsmen Mahela Jayawardena (374 runs) and Kumar Sangakkara (287 runs) master-mindedly wielded the willowy bat, to score at will and have the sorrowing South African team up the gum trees, it was heartening to see how focussed they were in achieving their goals, with determination and dedication! Similarly, it is so beautiful to see the sporty 'support' roles of 'partnerships' in real life of Annesley 'Anna' Henricus, a father who encourages and inspires and a mother, Viromi whose caring and concern - calls for appreciation and thankfulness from their two 'sporty' children, daughter Sonani and 'swimming-talented' son, Sean.

As it happens, in the family of God, it brings true meaning, purpose and success to life.

Annesley and Viromi Henricus are 38 years (not out) in a 'life-partnership', which has been blessed by a good God, a loving family and great friends, who are all 'survivors' in the massive 'swim' of life.

For many generations, the name 'Henricus' has been greatly associated with Sri Lanka Sports and the name has survived, despite many Burghers 'burghering' off to Australia and others going 'down under' - from 1956 when the 'Sinhala Only' demand was made.

Some of the best boxers to represent Sri Lanka at past Olympic Games. Commonwealth Games and Asian Games have come from the Henricus family, like Captain George Henricus and his brothers Barney and Basil, who won gold and silver awards.

It was as an eleven year old student, young Annesley Henricus, while wading in the beautiful seawaters off the 'heavenly' coast of Trincomalee, almost answered a premature 'roll-call' to heaven... as he got out of his depth in the water and he could not swim! At that age, having been 'saved by the skin of his teeth', Annesley came back to Colombo, determined to save himself from 'going under' and began to 'bite' into the bitter waters of the Old Thomian Swimming Club pool.

He soon took 'command' over the waters and with God's help he was swimming to the point of not only saving himself but also saving others. Sooner than he could expect he was competing with 'big' names, like Geoff and Boris Marks, Joe Hamer, Lance Abeysekera, Patrick Nicholas, in a two-mile swim and by throwing his challenge to the mighty blue sea, he became a powerful swimmer.

In later years, his expertise in skin-diving, deep-sea diving and spear-fishing (as a hobby), paid off richly to 'swell' his income and 'ride on a wave'.

In the early 60s, Annesley played water-polo for the Old Thomians Sports Club, Mount Lavinia amongst famous Sri Lankan players, George Arndt (a former Sri Lanka captain, now domiciled in Melbourne, Australia) and some super players, Maxim Flamer-Caldera, Patrick Nicholas, Eddie Perera, Kenny Nathal, Anton Swan, Ronnie de Silva, Georgie Labrooy, Sumathie Gunewardena, Godwin Loos, etc; etc.

He then joined the newly formed Life Saving Club, introduced to Sri Lanka for the first time by Harry Nightingale, a former Australian Olympic Coach and was awarded the bronze medal for life saving before being appointed captain.

It was in the waters of the STC pool that Annesley met a beautiful 'mermaid' Viromi (nee Abeyakoon, whose sisters Chrishanthi and Kumari Abeyakoon were also swimming champions), and they both took the 'dive' together in 1968.

Three years of 'finding their feet' and they 'surfaced' with their first child, a daughter Sonani, (who is now 36 years of age and married to Aldrien Cramer, in Dubai). Then ten years later they decided to have another child, which turned out to be a son - Sean (was born in 1980) - and he turned out to be an amazing young swimmer for Sri Lanka, following in his father's 'strokes'.

In a really revealing 'chit-chat' with his son Sean, just on 26 years in age, many exciting achievements, in academics as well as in sports, have been accompanied.

In England, from 1999 to 2002, he spent three of his best years at the University of Cambridge, studying for his Law Degree and Bachelor of Arts, which he obtained in 2002, with his talented voice, he joined a choir at Cambridge who are not classically trained but he enjoyed singing on stage, in public performances of songs from 'Westside story' and other Broadway hits.

As an exuberant young man, Sean exhibited a high degree of intellect seasoned with simplicity and modesty, which are great qualities for a purpose-driven life. He is presently the Snr. Legal Affairs Executive at SriLankan Airlines but in his spare time lectures on English Law at the South Asian College of Higher Education.

Apart from volunteer work for the British Council, since obtaining the British Council Academic Excellence in year 2000, he is also a Member of the Cambridge Society of Sri Lanka.

From his early years at S. Thomas College, Mt. Lavinia, Sean has won many academic prizes, being a champion swimmer and took part in the two-mile swim at the tender age of 12.

He was appointed the Head Perfect of the Lower School and in 1990 he was awarded the W. J. Keble Memorial Challenge Cup for the best all-rounder. Sean actively participated in the College debating team, acted well in drama and was the youngest student to win college colours at the age of 15 for his excellence in swimming.

While studying for the Advanced Levels at Colombo International School between 1997 to 1999, Sean took the lead-role as Bugsy Malone, in the musical production - 'Bugsy Malone'.

Sean started swimming at the age of 8 years and entered into competitive swimming from the age of 12 years ('92 to '97) in the back stroke and the individual medley, in which he had the rare distinction of winning the all-island under 16 championship in '95 and the under 19 in '97.

He remembers with delight the year 1993, when he was selected to represent Sri Lanka at the 7th Asia Pacific swimming championships held in Hong Kong and at the 8th Asia Pacific Meet in New Delhi, in 1994 (and his father Annesley Henricus, accompanied the team as Assistant Manager to Oosha Chanmugam) and finally participated in the 9th Asia Pacific Swimming Meet held in 1995, at Colombo.

Some of the outstanding contemporary swimmers during his time were, Gheffari Dulapandan (S. Thomas), Conrad Francis (St. Joseph's), Prathish Seevaratnam (Royal College), Asela Pradeep (Panadura), Jehan Mubarak (currently in the Sri Lanka cricket squad), Tivanka de Alwis (Royal), Duleeka Nanayakkara (S. Thomas), Sean Lee (St. Josephs).

In 2002 he participated in the gruelling 'Kit Challenge' survival test held in Sri Lanka, where he and his team were semi-finalists.

Sean is deeply grateful to his parents for not imposing or forcing him to do what they desired him to do. Instead, they inspired him to do what he desired to do, choosing carefully and considering the right options before taking decisions in any matter.

It was the encouragement from his father and the inspiration of his mother, waking up almost every day at 5.30 a.m., travelling to practice pools in the morning and the evening, providing all the required facilities and supplying all the essential energy foods, that made the vital difference between success and failure.

Perseverance, patience and performance paved the way to success in his Academics and in his sports - sportingly united.