Sportsmen of SLAC felicitated

Yasaratne GAMAGE

The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps' (SLAC) Colours Nite was held at Sir John Kotelawela Defence University Auditorium, Ratmalana recently.

As a leading Regiment in the Army with a remarkable history in sports, the event had been organized to recognize 27 sportsmen who brought fame and honour by excelling in various sports in addition to their service. Awards were given to the SLAC personnel who had a promising sporting career in the field of Tennis, Rugby, Cricket, Kabbadi, Basketball, Shooting, Power-lifting, Taek-wondo, Swimming, Wheel-chair Badminton and Wheel-chair Tennis. The Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, who is also the Colonel of the SLAC Regiment graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, flanked by several senior most SLAC officers. The colours nite having taken place in January this year continued to award the rest of the recipients in the regiment. The graceful event started off with two-minute silence to recall the memories of fallen War Heroes. Colourful and rhythmic dance performances of the Army Cultural troupe made the event more aesthetic.

Speaking at the occasion the Army Commander said that he was delighted that the troops of the SLAC marching at the front during a battle had also been able to display their talents in the field of sports as well. He also stated that the event was a tribute and a stimulus to all the SLAC sportsmen who excelled in sports in the past and awarding of Colours would serve an incentive to all others in the SLAC Regiment and the Army in general. The Commander also wished that more and more Army sportsmen would be able to participate in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, scheduled to be held in 2018 in Hambantota.

The recipients of the colours.

TENNIS - Gen (Retd) R De S Daluwatte

RUGBY - Maj S J Samarasinghe, Maj S U B Pilimatalawa, WO I K P Naranthota, Sgt P W A B Karunathileka, Sgt H K Jayasena

CRICKET - Lt B L G A C Bowala, Cpl H K C Prasad HKC, Tpr O M N Nishantha OMN, Tpr J L U Chaturanga JLU

KABBADI - Capt (Retd) S S Meegasthenna, Sgt W M K Nawaratne WMK

BASKETBALL - WO I A K A Rohana, Cpl K J N D Fernando KJND, Cpl M R P Karunaratne MRP, L/Cpl U A N K Perera UANK

SHOOTING - WO I (Retd) DMWB Dissanayake, Cpl N D N Sanjeewa NDN

POWER LIFTING - S/Sgt S M W Kulathileka SMW, Sgt P G Rohitha PG

TAEK-WONDO - Sgt S A D S Dilruk SADS

BOXING - Cpl M A N Bandara MAN, L/Cpl I R Balasuriya IR

SWIMMING - Cpl J D S Jayaratne JDS, Cpl S A S Subasinghe SAS, L/Cpl T K S Weerakkody TKS

WHEEL-CHAIR BADMINTON - Capt (Retd) M P Mahadivulwewa