Brother-sister duo excel in sports

Ramith, Dinuri - young talents to watch out for:

Anuradha ABEYSEKARA

The sporting brother-sister duo, Ramith and Dinuri Samayamanthree who excelled in athletics and swimming have brought honour to their school, Asian International School (AIS) in many public and private competitions.

Ramith is a 13-year old lad who started his education at St Peter's College, Bambalapitiya has joined the AIS after returning from England. Followed his father's footsteps, he has stepped in to athletics. Yet Ramith has played junior cricket at St Peter's College and also engaged in swimming but now his main concern has turned into discus, shot put and javelin throw.

Ramith has maintained a flawless record in International School Athletic Championships (ISAC). He won a triple crown by becoming the champion of under-15 discus, shot put and javelin events in the ISAC,

2011 which held at the Sugathadasa Stadium last February. His achievement as a 13-year old boy in the under-15 age category was highly recognized.

He won the second places in under-14 shot put and discus throw events at the Sir John Tarbat Junior Championships which worked off at Matale, last September and was the school's athletic champion in 2010.

Ramith's talents in swimming span in dolphin and free style as he has won many awards in the Inter International Swimming Meets since 2008. He emerged under-14 school's swimming champion in 2009. Ramith was a member of the under-14 champion swimming team which claimed the title at the Junior Short Course Swimming Nationals by winning the Gold medals in 4x50 free style and 4x50 medley relay events in 2010 at the D S Senanayake College pool.

Ramith is very keen on studies has won the school maths prize and merit awards for several subjects. His favorite subjects are maths and physics while he likes to spend his spare time playing computer games and basketball. His ambition is to become an aeronautical engineer by profession. His greatest inspiration was his father who has been a good sportsman.

"It is very difficult to manage time between studies and sports, but I enjoy it a lot. With the support of my parents, only sister, coaches and school I am confident that I can achieve my goals," said Ramith.

Ramith's only sister Dinuri who has just turned to 8, followed her brother and proved her talents in Swimming, Athletics and Netball. As both are attending to the same school Dinuri gets good guidance from her brother.

Dinuri came in to the lime light during the last year's Inter International Swimming Meet held at Ananda College pool on February 25, 26 as she became the under-10 age group champion. She won the first places in freestyle and back stroke while placing second in the individual medley to emerge as the under-10 champion though she is eight years. Competing with elder swimmers has always been a tough

Challenge for her, but sharpened Dinuri's skills to swim ahead them and triumph in most of the occasions.

Dinuri has maintained an impressive record in Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) meets from 2008 by adding constant victories to her short career. She won the 2nd place in under-10 free style event at the Novices Swimming Championships (public schools), 2010.

Her swimming skills have been greatly enhanced by the two other sports she is involved in, athletics and netball. Yet, her main sport remains as swimming, she has won in running events at the school level.

As a primary student Dinuri has shown a potential of a budding swimming champion.

She is also very studious and her favorite subjects are maths, history and geography. Dinuri's aim is to be a doctor and become a National swimming star.

Ramith and Dinuri thanked their parents, former principal Goolbai Gunasekara, present principal Priyanthi Seneviratne, school Head of Sports Angu Rajendran and coaches for the support they have extended through the years.