President Rajapaksa’s support to sports honoured in Delhi

When President Mahinda Rajapaksa graced the Commonwealth Games as the Guest of Honour, it was not simply a ceremonial gesture extended by the Indian Government but rather an act of warm friendship and admiration of the leadership in Sri Lanka in this our post war reawakening period.

That the medium sports was used to get the message across that the bonds of collaboration in the Commonwealth could also be strengthened through the sprit of sportsmanship was more than evident in the manner in which our own President was accorded the honour. Rising to the occasion was our historic Gold Medal Boxer Manju Wanniarachchi who was feted by President Rajapaksa.

Adding glitter was also the Silver Medallist Chintana Vidanage and the Bronze Medallist Suresh Pieris in weightlifting. Our President’s unstinted leadership in supporting both local and international sports with the Sri Lankan flag was vindicated by the gallant showing by our medal winning athletes.

This is a happy augury for us, Sri Lankans, as hosts- to- be of the Cricket World Cup next year and the prospect of the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The experience of the New Delhi Games was also instructive as we prepare for our big events.

If and when Sri Lanka wins the bid to conduct the 2018 Commonwealth Games the man on whom the mantle will fall of conducting that great event will be the President’s eldest son MP for Hambantota Namal Rajapaksa.

A former Thomian rugger captain and now sporting Navy colours, Namal has already proved his prowess in organizing and conducting big sports events in the country and when 2018 Commonwealth Games come to Sri Lanka his organizing prowess will certainly be depended on.

Looking back, New Delhi can stand tall and India can certainly take a bow. That is because of the magnificent opening, eleven days of competition without a hitch and a fabulous closing ceremony of the 19th Commonwealth Games.

With the Games day drawing near, the organizers had to face a barrage of criticism. Some justified, but mostly uncharitable where judgments were passed prematurely. That the Indians took the criticism in good spirit and delivered a superb games in the end confounded critics.

At one time the critics were so vituperative in their criticism that they even predicted a cancellation of the Games. As usual the organizers too suffered a few hiccups or teething problems like all big ventures do.

Cocked a snook

But that they cocked a snook at their detractors, and gave to the world one of the best organized and conducted games speaks volumes for their determination when faced with adversity.

From the Chief Minister of New Delhi to the President, Prime Minister, the Organizing Committee and every Indian to a man put their shoulders to the wheel and pushed for success —-and the success they achieved is phenomenal.

The greatest fear the Indians had was security. The Indians took that challenge, put their best security men at work and that they provided a water tight security network that enabled the Games to progress in exemplary fashion.

The Indians proved to the world that what others can do they can do equally or even better. And this they underlined and all visiting dignitaries were profuse in their praise for a Games brilliantly conceived and safely delivered.

Sports a great leveler

As Sri Lanka prepare, our confidence has been bolstered by the leadership and support that President Rajapaksa provides to Sport. He is a firm believer that sport is the great leveller.

His patronage for sport, for sportsmen and sportswomen, and his determination to provide the needed infrastructure through the building of many stadiums puts Sports right up in the national agenda of priorities.

This will make Sri Lanka’s sport second to none in the region. He has taken his stance at the wicket to see to the successful conducting of the World Cup Cricket Tournament 2010 in which Sri Lanka are also co-hosts with India and Bangladesh and provided Sri Lanka Cricket with every need. His concept of - Gamata Cricket and Gamata Kreeda has met with a warm and exciting reception.

Winning Gold

With the winning of medals by our athletes in boxing and weightlifting, its our hope that the two sports and athletics in general which have hitherto not been given due recognition nor received any lavish sponsorship of the type that cricket or rugby attracts, will receive tangible support.

The ABA and the Weightlifting Association can be proud with the achievement of their sportsmen and it has given them the impetus to work with more determination to conduct the 2018 Commonwealth Games and succeed at the Asian Games to be held in Shanghai next month.

Henricus remembered

Talking of boxing one can’t forget the name of mmmBarney Henricus who won the gold medal for the country in boxing 72 years ago at the Commonwealth and Empire Games as it was then known.

Other boxers who fought the good fight and kept the lion flag flying for Sri Lanka must also be remembered in the glow of Wanniarachchi’s victory. They are Edwin, Albert Perera, Obeysekera brothers, Eddie Gray, Lesley Handunge ,Raymonds, Shumith Liyanage, Dharmasiri Weerakoon, the Ekanayake brothers Hector and Bertie, Malcom Bulner, the Vancuylenberg brothers, Jaroof, Douggie Pereira, Trevine Rodrigo, Chavo de Kauwe, Mohammed Marzook, Nimal Leuke, Thangavelu and H K Karunaratne whose names come to mind and who should be remembered. They were superb glovemen.

Eddie Gray a champion boxer was a stand out. That was because when he was at the helm of the sport in the country, he brought the big fights to the country and with the help and encouragement of the first Minister of Sport, the late V A Sugathadasa he conducted the First Asia Boxing Championships at the then Trolley Bus Garage which he turned into a boxing ring and which is now the R Premadasa International Indoor Stadium.

Bolt bolts from CGames

Back to the Delhi Games and although some big names and draw cards such as the great Usain Bolt, the world 100 and 200 metre champion skipped the Games along with another dasher Asafa Powell, the track was not short of great performers.

How the Games and the world would have liked to see Bolt and Powell perform. They certainly would have burned the Delhi Track had got on their starting blocks and for certainty more records would have been broken.