Over 700 will take the plunge

S M Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports corr

Over 700 swimmers from the Central Province are expected to participate at the sixth Annual Age Group and Novices Swimming Championship 2010 which will be worked off at the Dharmaraja College swimming pool at Buwelikada in Kandy on Sunday December 26 from 8 a.m. onwards.

Development

This swimming meet is organized by the Central Province Aquatic Sports Association (CEPASA) which has done a tremendous amount of work to promote and develop swimming in the Central Province.

The Principal of Dharmaraja College S. M Keerthiratne will be the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony. Also gracing the occasion will be a guest Justice Ahamed Muthasia Adman from the Republic of Maldives who was the former Dean of the Faculty of Shar'ah Law in that country and also made the trip for this meet last year and also partly sponsored it.

According to the Senior Vice President of the CEPASA Janaka de Silva said that a very large number of entries have been received from schools and clubs in the Central Province.

A separate championship will be held for the Novice without them having to compete with the experienced swimmers. This will help them compete with swimmers of their ability on a even keel.

Last year Trinity College won the Age Group Championship while Mahamaya Girls College won the same title for girls.

Competition

But the Trinitians are expected to receive tough competition from Kingswood College who this year won the boys championship organized by Kingswoodians Aquatic Club and it will be left to be seen how these two schools fare this time.

Entries are still open and Entry forms could be had from CEPASA office at DJD Promotions at 18/1/1 Hill Street, Municipal Junction, Kandy.

Novices segment

According to Janaka de Silva a total of 66 events in the Age Group Championship and 50 events in the Novices segment will be worked off during the day. Some of the events which are expected to be worked off are 200 metres free style, 50 metres back stroke, 200 metres medley, 100 metres free style, 50 metres butterfly and 50 metres free style in the age groups of under 10, under 12, under 14, under 18 and over 16 for boys and girls. Similar events have been also lined for the Novices which will be also in the same age groups for boys and girls.

Some of the top swimmers in the events for boys who are expected to participate are Sri Lanka's swimming captain Heshan Unamboowe, Shehan de Silva, Migara Hulangamuwa, L. O. Senaratne, T. Edirisinghe, S. Auwardt, Naveen Diyakelinawala, Imudith Athurupana. In the events for girls the centre stage will be held by Madhavee Weeratunga, Hansani Weeratunga, Ayeshika Jayawardena, Sunethra Wijesinghe, Minuruwani Samarakoon, Thilini Abeykoon, Dilki Perera, Nelum Uduwawala, Imani Abeykoon just to name a few of them.

This will also the first time that this meet will be worked off at the Dharmaraja College Swimming pool. The previous meets were worked off at the Peradeniya University swimming pool.

The organizing Committee headed by CEPASA President U. H. Sugath, Janaka de Silva (Vice President), U. H. Pemlath (Co-Secretary), N. B. Palipane (Co. Secretary) Senaka Uduwala (Treasurer) are sparing no pains to make this event a success.