Kandy District make a clean sweep

S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen our Kandy sports corr.

Five meet records were broken as Kandy District made a clean sweep of all the events at the Central Province Swimming Championship organised by the Ministry of Sports of the Central Province and worked off at the swimming pool complex of the University of Peradeniya.

A total of eight meet records were lowered as the swimmers from Kandy District splashed in gay abandon giving the swimmers from the districts of Nuwara Eliya and Matale no chance.

The records to go at this meet were:

Madhavi Weeratunga who timed 1.08.4 minutes in the 100 metre freestyle, D. C. Karunaratne with a timing of 34.5 seconds in the 50 metres freestyle, Heshan Unamboowe clocking 1.06.3 minutes in the 100 metre freestyle event, Heshan Unamboowe timed 1.04.6 minutes in the 100 metres freestyle, D. Dissanayake who timed 2.15.1 minutes in the 200 metres Dolphin stroke.

National swimming captain Heshan Unamboowe of Trinity College came up with a fine performance to lower two games records. Another national swimmer and SAF Games medalist Minuruwani Samarakoon of Girls High School, Kandy, won three events with ease, to put Kandy District on top.

Fifteen year old Ayeshika Jayawardena of Mahamaya Girls College too came up with a good performance to win the 800 metre freestyle with a timing of 11.02.08 minutes and also the 200 metre breast stroke by clocking 3.08.8 minutes. She was also placed second in the 200 metre freestyle which was won by Hansanee Weeratunga who is now with the Sri Lanka Air Force.

Seventeen year old Minuruwani Samarakoon of Girls High School, a highly talented and multifaceted student who has a rich haul of trophies in her cupboard in many fields including Kandyan dancing, oratory and was also adjudged the Zonta Sportswoman of the Year in 2009, this time went home with three golf medals, winning all three events she participated with ease.

She won the 50 metres dolphin, 50 metres butterfly and 100 metres butterfly. She has also authored a book of poems at the age of 15. She has also passed the London Advanced Level Examination with flying colours while at Gateway International College, Kandy and is now studying for her local GCE Advanced Level Examination at Girls High School.

C. B. Wickremasinghe also won two events - the 50 metres freestyle and 100 metres freestyle.

The two relay events were won by Old Trinitians Sports Club with Trinity College 'A' and 'B' finishing second and third respectively.

This meet was organised under the guidance of the Director of Sports of the Central Province H. G. Ariyaratne along with the Sports Officers of the Central Province.

The winners of the respective events will be eligible to participate at the National Sports Festival which is scheduled to be held in Kandy in September this year.

The results:

Women:

100 metres freestyle: 1. Madhavi Weeratunga - 30.3 seconds (new Games record), 2. Nelum Uduwawela, 3. Vinoli Siriwardena (all from Kandy District).

50 metres dolphin: 1. Minuruwani Samarakoon, 2. Anuthara Rajapaksa, 3. Sanduni Baranage (all from Kandy District).

50 metres butterfly: 1. Minuruwani Samarakoon, 2. Anuthara Rajapakse, 3. Sanduni Baranage (all from Kandy District).

50 metres back stroke: 1. Nelum Uduwawala - 36.6 secs (new Games record), 2. Vinoli Siriwardena, 3. Namali Kahawatte (all from Kandy District).

100 metres breast stroke: 1. Harshani Dissanayake, Hasanthi Nugawela, 3. Shamadi Liyanaratne (all from Kandy District).

100 metres butterfly stroke: 1. Minuruwani Samarakoon, 2. Madhavi Weeratunga, 3. Anuthara Rajapaksa (all from Kandy District).

100 metres back stroke: 1. Vinoli Siriwardene, Dilini Perera, 3. Sanduni Baranage (all from Kandy District).

50 metres freestyle: 1. Harshani Dissanayake, 2. Nelum Uduwawela, 3. Hasanthi Nugawela (all from Kandy District).

200 metres breast stroke: 1 Ayeshika Jayawardena, 2. Hiruni Dissanayake, 3. Thisari Karunatillake (all from Kandy District).

800 metres freestyle: 1. Ayeshika Jayawardena, 2. Anuthara Rajapakse, 3. Vinoli Siriwardena (all from Kandy District).

200 metres freestyle: 1. Hansani Weeratunga, 2. Ayeshika Jayawardena, 3. Dilini Perera (all from Kandy District).

Men:

50 metres freestyle: 1. D. L. Karunaratne - 34.5 seconds (new meet record), 2. T. Edussuriya, 3. L. W. Gammudali (all from Kandy District).

50 metres freestyle: 1. C. B. Wickremasinghe, 2. W. C. C. Perera, 3. I. Athurupana (all from Kandy District).

50 metres back stroke: 1. T. Edussuriya, 2. C. L. B. Wijeratne, 3. T. B. Abeysinghe (all from Kandy District).

50 metres butterfly stroke: 1. D. Dissanayake, 2. S. T. M. Auwardt, 3. U. U. H. Serasinghe (all from Kandy District).

100 metres dolphin: 1. L. W. Gammudali, 2. D. C. Karunaratne, 3. K. N. Hulangamuwa (all from Kandy District).

100 metres freestyle: 1. Heshan Unamboowe - 1.06.3 minutes (new Games record), 2. R. Wijesekera, 3. T. B. Abeysinghe (all from Kandy District).

100 metres butterfly stroke: 1. Heshan Unamboowe - 1.04.6 minutes (new Games record), 2. S. T. M. Auwardt, 3. U. U. H. Serasinghe and Shehan de Silva (all from Kandy District).

200 metres dolphin stroke: 1. D. Dissanayake - 2.15.1 minutes (new Games record), 2. L. O. Senaratne, 3. N. N. Diyanakeliya (all from Kandy District).

200 metres back stroke: 1. O. Wijesekera, U. G. Ariyapala, 3. Shehan de Silva (all from Kandy District).

400 metres freestyle: 1. L. O. Senaratne, 2. L. D. Nawaratne, 3. Migara Hulangamuwa (all from Kandy District).

800 metres freestyle: 1. L. O. Senaratne, 2. Migara Hulangamuwa, 3. L. P. Nawaratne (all from Kandy District).

500 metres freestyle: 1. L. O. Senaratne, 2. G. G. Yatiwawela, 3. N. Diyakelinawa (all from Kandy District).

200 metres dolphin: 1. Heshan Unamboowe, 2. I. Athurupana, 3. I. B. Abeysinghe (all from Kandy District).

IM relay: 1. Old Trinitians SC, 2. Trinity College A, 3. Trinity College B (all from Kandy District).

IM relay 200 metres: 1. Old Trinitians SC, 2. Trinity College 'A', 3. Trinity College 'B'.