Fifty two member Lankan team for South Asia Swimming C’ships

Leslie Fernando

SWIMMING: The 52 member Sri Lanka swimming and waterpolo team will leave on Friday, August 31 to participate at the first South Asia Swimming and Waterpolo Championships to be held from September 3 to 8 at the Jinnah Sports Complex Swimming pool, Islamabad, Pakistan. The championships is conducted by the Pakistan Swimming Federation in conjunction with the South Asia Swimming Federation.

The swimmers and waterpolo players were selected after trials held at the Sugathadasa Stadium pool according to Samantha Wickremasinghe, Secretary, Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union.

Lanka’s swimmers will swim in the open men and women, boys and girls under-14 events along with swimmers from host Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Maldives. The usual events will be worked off in swimming similar to the South Asian Games Swimming Championships, except in the boys and girls under-14.

National swimmer Heshan Unamboowe of Trinity College will be the swimming captain while Rajitha Warnapura of MAS SC will be the waterpolo captain.

The Sports Minister has approved the team and 14 officials for the trip to Pakistan.

Sri Lanka’s three top swimmers: Andrew Abeysinghe, Daniel Lee and Mayumi Raheem who fared prominently at the 10th South Asian Games held in Colombo will not be competing. Both Andrew and Daniel are studying and training in USA and Daniel are studying and training in USA and Australia respectively while Mayumi is nursing an injury.

The swimmers selected are: (Men) Dasun Perera (St. Joseph’s College), Dilina Dissanayake (Trinity), Chanaka Malimbada (Ananda), Diluka Thibbotumunwe (Ananda), Heshan Unamboowe (Trinity), Gayan Samarakoon (Nalanda), Yahan Samarajeewa (Royal), C.B. Wickremasinghe (Trinity), E.M.K. Fernando (S. Thomas’ College), Ashene Fernando (St. Joseph’s College), Punhasa Senanayake (Ananda), Kushan de Silva (Rainbow Aquatic Club), K.V.S. Priyadarshana (Sri Lanka Air Force).

Women: Methma Jayawardena (Musaeus College), Hansani Weerathunga (Mahamaya College), Mihiri Kandanaarachchi (Mahamaya College), Chamari Kudabalage (Hillwood College), Udari Mendis (Gateway International School, Kandy), Miniruwani Samarakoon (Gateway International School, Kandy), Pravini Kuruppu (Lyceum International School), Mineka Karunaratne (Asian International School).

Boys: Praneeth Udumalagala (St. Joseph’s College), Tuan Nabeel Dole (St. Benedict’s College), Pathum Edirisinghe (Ananda), L.O. Senarathne (Trinity), S.K. Wickremaratne (S. Thomas’ College), Sashika Perera (St. Joseph’s College), Kaushal Manawadu (St. Joseph’s College), Uvindu H. Perera (Royal Institute), Isaac Prins (Rainbow AC).

Girls: Shehani Madiwaka (Ladies College), Shalini Rajakaruna (Hillwood College), Dehara Katiperachchi (Musaeus College), Madhavee Weerathunga (Mahamaya College), Sunethra Wijerathne (Mahamaya College), Gihara Amarasinghe (Southland College), Amodya Perera (Sujatha Vidyalaya), Udara Cumarathunga (Visakha Vidyalaya), Nelum Uduwawala (Hillwood College).

Waterpolo: Yasiru Ranaraja (Otter AC), Awnee Razak (Royal), Zaman Ali (Royal), Danushka Saram (MAS SC), Lasitha Perera (MAS SC), Rajitha Warnapura (MAS SC), Z. Maffaz (RCUAC), D.C. de Silva (S. Thomas’ College), S. Wijerathnam (S. Thomas’ College), B.A.C.A. Perera (S. Thomas’ College), Bilal Hassan (Royal), T. Sri Chandrasekera (Otter AC), S.J.S. Silva (Sri Lanka Air Force).

Shehan de Alwis will be the Manager of the contingent and also Swimming Manager. Premasiri Dayananda will be Manager Waterpolo Team.

The other officials are: Julian Bolling (Coaching Director), Ruwan Manawadu, Mahi Chandralal, Nishantha Perera (Swimming Coaches), Mahinda Liyanage (Waterpolo Coach), Fareed Noor Ameen (Waterpolo Official), H.H. Chulasiri, Padmasiri Punchihewa, Sunil Rathnayake, P.S. Ajantha Silva (Swimming Officials), E.J. Rodney Silva (Administrative Officer), Chintha Ruwanpathirana (Lady Chaperone).