President unveils Kreeda shakthi

YASARATNE GAMAGE

The inaugural ceremony to award scholarships to selected sports personnel from all over the island, ‘Lowa Dinana Kreeda Shakthi ( Winning the World ) was held yesterday at Temple Trees, under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Sports Ministry has selected 1200 youths to cover all districts who have showed excellent skills in 17 sports to receive special coaching and free sports equipment including clothes and sports wear and a monthly nutrition allowance.

Accordingly the official documentation was presented by President Mahinda Rajapakse. The project will secure and support promising young sportsmen and women to better their chances in reaching national and international level.

The main concept of the programme is to produce sportsmen and women of international standard. For this nearly 1200 physically fit children aged between 14 to 18 years who were selected will be trained and given the necessary guidance for them to acquire national level and internationl standards.

The talented youths who were selected will get a monthly allowance of Rs. 2,500/- each, in addition to insurance, nutrition supplements, food, residential training, season card and exposure to top level local and overseas competitions.

The programme will be spread island wide in long-term in several stages. The objectives of the programme are gaining victories at National level and creating internationally recognised sportsmen and women.

Special functions generated through this programme:

*Strengthening the training pools of districts
*Obtaining the services of skilled coaches.
*Improving the training centres and providing necessary equipment.
*Creating the coaches pools
*Admitting the sportsmen and women to training pools apart from the “Kreeda Shakthi” camps.
*Systematize the evaluation of sportsmen and women presently on training camp already functioning.

A special project was designed to develop the sports activities in the North and East as a major contributing factor to ethnic harmony and stability in the North and East provinces and also the ministry took initiatives to Develop fully equipped sports grounds in Kilinochchi and Batticaloa with the assistance of the government and the private sector.

Addresing the the gathering the president emphasized the importance of engaging in sports to be a balanced and strong person who would serve his country amidst challenges.

The president also requested the beneficiaries to make use of this golden opportunity to bring honour and pride to the motherland .

There is ample opportunity for the selected sports personnel to win medals at 2018 Common Wealth Games and it is my hope that everyone will work hard to achieve that target, the president stressed.

The president also invited all parents to give their children the freedom to take part in sports without pushing them only to academic activities and reminded that a good sports personnel can bare and handle stressful situations and make timely decisions even at the most difficult situation.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage thanked the president for his guidance and immense support to develop sports in the country and also appreciated the directions the sports ministry receives from a bold leader who has engaged in sports.

He also assured the parents of the job opportunities and university entrance facility for sports personnel who gain national and international level recognition.