Cherantha a swimmer par excellence

Leslie Fernando

K.T. Cherantha de Silva the promising swimmer from Ananda College performed well to become Under-14 champion at the National Age Group Swimming Championships conducted by the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union held at the Sugathadasa Stadium pool.

Cherantha proved his class in his age category winning all five events and also establishing a new meet record.

Cherantha the talented swimmer was in peak form to win the 50 metres butterfly stroke setting a new record 'clocking' 30.15 secs. and went to win the 100 metres, butterfly stroke, 200 metres Individual Medley, 50 metres free-style in which he narrowly missed the existing record and the 100 metres free-style.

He has already bagged several gold medals at the Sri Lanka Schools Swimming meets and the SLASU organised meets.

In addition Cherantha has represented Sri Lanka at the Chennai dual swimming championships in 2003, 2004 and 2006 in Madras and in Colombo. He became the youngest gold medalist of Ananda College wining the 50 metres butterfly on his seventh birthday in 2003 in Chennai.

He was the Sri Lanka Schools under 8 and under 11 swimming champion.

Cherantha has shown a lot of promise in swimming and is sure to go places in the future and also bring honour to the school and country in the international swimming meets.

At the 2009 Popular Mount Lavinia two mile sea swim he carried away the challenge cup being the youngest swimmer to complete the course in the stipulated time.

The 13 year old, year eight student of Ananda College, Cherantha also won the swimming championship trophy participating at the Chartered Students Society Swimming Championships 2008. He also won the Gold Star Award in the 2008 Sri Lanka Scouting Association conducted swimming meet 2008.

In addition to swimming he showed his prowess in Karate being a black belt and a good gymnast. He has represented Ananda in both disciplines with lot of success.