The proud history of Police Sports

DIG Anura SENANAYAKE

The Sri Lanka Police has a long and proud history in the field of sports has rendered a great service towards the development of sports in Sri Lanka. The first police sports meet was held in 1902. The holding of the first National Sports Meet twenty years later on September 24, 1921 proves that the police had given the motivation for the development of sports in the country.

At present the police department conducted a long array of sports. They included Athletics, Shooting, Hockey, Table Tennis, Kabadi, Martial arts, Boxing, Rugger, Cricket, Motor Sports, Cycling, Badminton, Swimming, Archery, Football, Basketball, Netball, Tennis, Volleyball and Westrling. It has entered the international level in Athletics, Archery, Karate, Boxing and Football.

Police personnel participated at International level in 1946 when they completed in an Indo-Lanka sports meet in Bangalore. A.C. Dep who captained the team won a gold by establishing a record in the pole vault event. He cleared 12 ft 7 inches and the record remained intact till 1962.

Police personnel also participated in an Asian meet in Bangkok in 1966 and later in 1970. In 2004 Mallika Chandrakanthi established a record in the marathon at a meet in Singapore.

At the Asian Tournament in Doha, Qatar in 2006. Lasanthi Deepika (400 metres) and A.P.M. Ratnasiri (High Jump) represented Sri Lanka while R.M.C.P. Laksiri (Pole Vault), Inspector of Police Jayawardene (Triple Jump), Sub Inspector Brito (Long Jump) have excelled at national and international arenas.

C.C. Dissanayake was the national champion of Putt Shot event from 1932 to 1938 and has kept a Sri Lanka record with a throw of 12.39 metres in 1936. Chandra Senanayake held the record from 1939 to 1943 for the same event and then in the years 1948 and 1949.

In the discuss event R.V. Pillai became the national champion in 1934. Police Sub Inspector Ivon Boteju became the national champion for the events of 200 and 400 metres in 1958. This sportsman suffered a tragic death at the hands of the terrorists while serving in Ampara division.

In the year 1960, Nimal Fernando created a Sri Lanka record in 400 metres event and he was also the national champion from 1960 to 1965 in the 400 metres hurdles.

He still holds the police record for this event with a time of 54.08 seconds set in 1964.

The Javelin record of 57.80 metres set by Piyadasa Fernando at the Police Athletic Meet in 1965 is still stands for the past 43 years.

Sportsman O.K. Hemachandra became the national champion in the 400 metres event in 1962. In the year 1956, 1958, 1959 and 1960, K. Sathgunaraja created a record of 1.85 metres in the high jump while T. Dharamrajah became the national champion in pole vault in the years 1966, 1970 and 1972.

Oswald Rajapakse took the title in 1959 and T.C. Bathlot in 1967.

R.K. Lionel Karunaratne held the national champions title for long jump in 1965 to 1968 and he equalled the Sri Lanka record with his 7.83 metres in 1964. This was broken in 1989. He also represented Sri Lankan at the Bangkok Asian Tournament held in 1966.

In 1970, P.C. Karunasena set a new record with his 15.62 metres Jump and obtained a diploma certificate at the Asian Tournament held in 1970. He has brought glory to police with his 50 feet record in the triple jump event.

In 1978 R. Rajendran took the national title in the 5,000 metres and Premalal Weerasinghe won the triple jump title in 1975, 1977 and 1978.

In the years 1989, 1990, 1992 and 1993, S.G.R. Subasinghe became the 800 metres champion with a record set in 1993 which yet to be towered. He was also the national champion and in 1990, 1991, 1992 for 1500 m. He created a national record in 1992.

In 1974, Allon Kasthooriarachchi's 100 metre record still remains unbroken. Senananda in 2003 equalled this record after 34 years. In 1992, Damith Silva became the national champion in the 400 metre setting a new Sri Lanka record. from 1960 to 1980, D. Upali Kumarasiri, Sundaralingam, N.A.T. Jayasinghe, N.W. Nmalsiri, Nimalson Munasinghe, K.A.J.A.R. Perera, K.H. Jayaweera and Norman Silva have excelled in all the national athletic meets and Police Sports meets.

Lasanthi Deepika (400m) took part in the Asian Tournament held in 2006 and Saliya Ramanayake (400 metres) A.P.N.C. Ratnasiri (High Jump) have also represented Sri Lanka in the past. Sportsmen R.M.C.P. Laksiri (Pole Vault), Inspector Jayawardene (Triple Jump), Sub Inspector Brito (Long Jump) have also excelled in the national and international events.

Despite these record breaking performances from 1950 to 1970, the ethnic conflict since 1980 have prevented them from performing well in sports activities. However, under the guidance of the present Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickramaratne sporting activities have begun to gain momentum. This is clearly proved with the Police Department's victory in the FA cup, soccer championship.

It is the police women soccer team that has retained the National Championship from 1998 to 2006. After a keen tassel this time, Police women have once again bagged this year's (2009) National Championship title.

Police Colours Night was also held on December 17, 2008 at the BMICH after so many years. At this ceremonial event, 283 police sportsmen and women received awards and police soccer team captain Sanjaya Pradeep and 400 metre event heroine Lasanthi Jayawardene were felicitated and honoured by the IGP Jayantha Wickramaratne. These spectacular achievements by those sportsmen and women are highly unique in the context where they had to discharge their duties amidst innumerable odds.

The holding of this police athletic meet 2009 now being held at the Police Field Force Headquarters, Bambalapitiya is unique not only because of the fact that it marks the 75th athletic event, but also because of the fact the President Mahinda Rajapaksa is presiding over these events on August 22 at the invitation of the IGP Jayantha Wickramaratne.