Trials to pick swimmers for big meets

Leslie Fernando

All medal winners and the swimmers who represented Sri Lanka at the 11th South Asian Games held in Dhaka, Bangladesh in January, will compete in the two-day swimming trials to pick swimmers for the forthcoming 19th Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi, India from October 3 to 14 and 16th Asian Games in ‘Guangzhou’, China from November 12-27.

The two-day trial will be held on June 8 and 9 at the Sugathadasa Stadium pool, commencing a 8.30 a.m. on both days. According to Nethru Nanayakkara, Secretary, Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) the swimmers who perform according to standard set by SLASU will be selected to swim at both prestigious meets.

But, the main selection will depend on the National Selection Committee and the National Olympic Committee.

Heshan Unamboowe who a won gold in the 100 metres back stroke, establishing new South Asian Games record and who also won two silver medals and two bronze medals, Mineka Karunaratne who was the ‘star’ swimmer winning two gold medals in the 50 and 100 metres breast stroke and silver in the 4 x 100 metres women’s relay, Miniruwani Samarakoon-two silver and one bronze, Gihara Amarasinghe a silver and bronze, Conrad Francis a silver and bronze, Diluk Thibbatumunawa - a bronze, C. B. Wickremasinghe a bronze and Madhavee Weerathunga a silver and bronze will make strong clans for places in the team.

Incidentally, both Heshan Unamboowe and Mineka Karunaratne have qualified to swim at the 1st Youth Olympic Games to be held in Singapore from August 14 to 26.

The competitors have been well informed about their individual events and the qualifying timings to be obtained for selections added Nethru Nanayakkara.

The experienced aquatic controller J. A. S. Somachandra has been selected as President of Association of the Technical Officials of Aquatic Sports Union of Sri Lanka. The other members of the Executive Committee are: S. K. Victor Peiris (Immediate Past President), Vice-Presidents-Lalith Gamage, Kithsiri Dayananda, H. H. Chulasiri, General Secretary - R. K. Sunil Ratnayake, Treasurer - E. J Rodney Silva, Assistant Secretary - A.A.A. Perera, Auditor - S.M. Ranasinghe.

Committee Members: S. P. S. Lionel Keerthisinghe, Sunil Dissanayake, Chaml Premarathna, S. J. S. Silva, J. A. R. D. Jayakoddy, R. K. A. Gunawardena, B. A. Chinthaka Perera, P. Naradamel, P. S. P. Dayananda, P. G. Nishan Rathnadeha, I. P. R. W. K. K. Kekulandera.