Negombo Beach Sports festival today

Anuradha ABEYSEKERA

The National Olympic Committee President Hemasiri Fernando said that beach games will be one of the most popular sports within the next five to ten years in Sri Lanka. He said so during a press briefing at the Olympic House regarding the Beach Sports Festival which is to be worked off today at the Negombo beach.

The event has been organized by the National Olympic Committee and Sri Lanka Tourism with the blessings of Sports Ministry as a prelude to the inaugural South Asian Beach Games which will be conducted in Hambantota from October 8 to 14.

The Beach Sports Festival will start from 6.30 a.m. and will feature three beach events namely volleyball, handball and netball. Except for netball the other two sports will be conducted in both men's and women's categories. 10 men's teams and four women's teams have been listed for each volleyball and handball events while 18 women's teams will compete in the netball event.

Beach netball event will be a new feature for the beach sport category and will include eight players per team.

The organizing committee head Thamara Dharmakeerthi revealed that altogether 35 teams will take part in all three games and they have received applications from many districts including Jaffna.

Hemasiri Fernando further said that in order to familiarize locals with beach sports they have decided to take the event to Trincomalee, Jaffna, Potuwil, Mullaitivu, Hambantota, Galle, Hikkaduwa, Mount Lavinia and many spectacular beaches around the country. He thanked the main sponsor Elephant House for stepping forward to support this event at its initial stage and said that the results will be fruitful when the beach festival gains popularity in the future.

Beach Sports have become a rising sport in the Asian region and with our natural beaches Sri Lanka will gain great benefits from beach sports locally and internationally. It will be one of the best

opportunities to showcase our beautiful beaches to the world.

The Western Province Tourist Board Chairman Claude Thomasz said that despite our rich culture and heritage sports too has became a national pride which plays a vital role in the tourism sector. "Sri Lanka is being rapidly popularized as a sports tourism destination and we encourage beach sports as a main segment to promote local and foreign tourism," Thomasz disclosed.

The new Sports Development Department Director General Ranjani Jayakody emphasized the importance of beach sports for Sri Lankans as an entertainment and personal health activity. She said that the beach sports is a new venture for us where Sri Lankan sports will reach great heights internationally. It will also consolidate the national economy while providing opportunity for a healthy life style to masses. The Director General assured her fullest support to develop beach sports in the country.

The Elephant House brand activate manager Maithri Vithanage also participated in the press briefing on behalf of the sponsors.