Over 175 swimmers in the pool

Leslie Fernando

Over 175 swimmers from fifteen establishments will swim at the Second Annual Mercantile Swimming Championships for the President's Trophy organised by the Thurstan College Aquatic Club in association with the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) on Sunday, at the Thurstan College swimming pool at Thurstan Road starting at 8 a.m.

Altogether 52 events, in four strokes, breast, back, butterfly and free style will be worked off in 25 metres and 50 metres distance.

The organisers have decided to select the best swimmers in the respective strokes. The overall champions will be selected on the highest aggregate of points.

Bhathiya Seebart, Chairman Organising Committee said that the President Mahinda Rajapaksa has taken a keen interest and the trophy that the President had donated for the meet had added a lot of interest to the event.

Last year was the inaugural meet which turned out to be a tremendous success. So, with success gained from the inaugural meet this year's meet holds out the promise of better things this year.

Last year John Keells Holdings took the top spot while SriLankan Airlines were the runners-up.

Lion Gratian Gunawardena, the distinguished old boy of Thurstan who gifted a six lane swimming pool with all necessary facilities to the school in the year 2000 said that the upcoming swimming meet will give many opportunities for the swimmers in the mercantile sector to show their skills.

He added that the Mercantile swimming meet is quite an important meet and the participants should take meet with all seriousness.