Squash - The pride of Sirimavians
Anuradha ABEYSEKERA
Sirimavo Bandaranayake Vidyalaya dominated the Sri Lanka schools
squash scene recently and won many championships in last year. Since the
sport has been introduced to the school in 2000, Sirimavians achieved
their first major victory in 2002 by winning the All-Island
Inter-Schools Championship under the guidance of school's first squash
coach Janaka Suwaris.
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Caption – The champion Sirimavo squash players with former
Principal, caoch and teachers in charge. Front row seated from
left – Irin Dias (teacher), Former Principal Pushpa Kalubowila,
Deputy Principal Geethani Subasinghe, K. S. Malkanthi (teacher
in charge) and
coach Mahesh Chandana. Back row standing – Nimsari Weerasinghe,
Hasini Wasundara, Mihiliya Methsarani, Kavini Amarasekera,
Raveena Sumathipala, Lasni Kulathunga, Tiyara Salgadu and
Dewmini Chamindrica. Picture by Saman Sri Wedage |
Through out 12-years of school's squash history, the sport developed,
producing National and International players who brought honour to the
country. Sirimavians maintained a constant record in all major local
tournaments by bagging back to back victories.
The year 2011 turned an important chapter of Sirimavo squash history
as they became the overall Champions in the All-Island Inter-School
Squash Championship while bagging several age category titles as well.
Even in the Junior National Championship Sirimavians maintained their
dominance through out the years.
Little trio from Sirimavo Balika who participated in the 18th Asian
Junior Squash Championship in Amman, Jordan made Sri Lanka proud by
winning medals in their respective age categories. Mihiliya Methsarani
who already inscribed her name in Sri Lankan squash annals won the
under-15 Plate Championship while Raveena Sumathipala bagged the
under-17 Plate runner up title. Hasini Wasundara became winner of the
under-13 Plate consolation final.
Sirimavo former Principal Pushpa Kalubowila, present coach Mahesh
Chandana, former teachers in charge Chandani Rathnayaka, M. Wasanthi and
present teacher in charge K.S. Malkanthi have always been the stalwarts
behind their success.
Speaking to the Daily News just before her retirement, former
Principal Pushpa Kalubowila appreciated the hard work of coach Mahesh
Chandana. Even though the school does not possess a squash plying
facility, it is for the great commitment of all players, their parents
and old girls Sirimavians continued to carry out their practices at an
outside facility constantly.
"Once the school's proposed indoor sports complex constructed, the
students will have their own facility and will perform much better',
said the teacher in charge. |
