Colourful opening ceremony for Youth Sports Festival

Bernard Perera in Beliatta

The 20th National Youth Sports Festival commenced yesterday with a colourful ceremony at the D.A. Rajapaksa Stadium here in Beliatta. The festival has attracted the highest number of participants this year with over 2,000 competitors.

The other highlight is the large number of participants from war torn areas now cleared by the Forces. The competitors from Vavuniya, Mannar, Trincomalee, Batticalao and Jaffna too are represented at the festival.

The Minister of Sports and Public Recreation Gamini Lokuge was the chief guest. The Minister addressing the ceremony said that it has to be highly appreciated the participation of youth from rural areas making their way to the national level meets of this nature.

He said that it is the concept that the Government headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa want to see. Through this the hidden talent can be brought to limelight. This is the vision of President Rajapaksa to give equal appointments to every sportsman and sportswoman. Through the National Youth Services Council this can be achieved. This sort of events are the best to give them the opportunity.

The Minister thanked the Minister of Youth Affairs and its officials for giving him the opportunity to be present at this occasion.

Minister of Ports and Aviation and Water Management Chamal Rajapaksa, Minister of Youth Affairs Pavithra Wanniarachchi too were present at the opening ceremony.

The men’s and women’s cycle races were concluded yesterday. The men’s event which the riders had to cover 125 km was won by Puttalam District’s Thusitha Dimesh while the women’s race was won by Ayesha Sumanaweera of Ratnapura District.