Migara – first from CP to win two mile sea swim

Kandy Sports Correspondent

Sixteen year old swimmer from the hill capital Migara Hulangamuwa carved a niche for himself when he became the first Trinitian and first from the Central Province to win the two mile sea swim organised by for the 75th time by the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union held at Mount Lavinia recently.

His performance is all the more creditable as this was the first time he had participated in a sea swim competition which is quite different to the conventional swimming pool competitions where one has to swim against the waves and the tide and requires a lot of exposure and experience to compete in it. Young Migara Mulangamuwa not only successfully completed his swim but also won it with a timing of 45.21.20 minutes.

Like rugby and cricket swimming is a major sport at Trinity College and their swimmers have been winning championship titles over the years and Heshan Unamboowe represented the country at the Asian Games and other International meets while still a schoolboy. Naturally the performances of the Trinity swimmers encouraged young Migara to take to swimming even before he had become a teenager.

Encouraged by his mother Shyama and guided by his two coaches U G Pemlath and U G Sugath, he made steady progress and with the passage of time established several meet records.

At the age of 9 he was the age group under 10 pentathlon champion with a meet record was also the age group champion at the Sri Lanka Schools Swimming championship with no less than four meet records. A star was born and this was the beginning.

The following year in the year 2007 at the age of 10 he became the Sri Lanka Schools Pentathlon champion and was also the Sri Lanka Schools under 12 champion.

The years which followed 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 was highly successful for this swimmer and he continued his high rate of success winning over 100 medals at various swimming championship.

In 2011 at the National Short Course swimming championship he was a member of the Trinity College free style relay team which established a new national record. At the same meet he became first in the mens 1500 metres free style.

At the 37th National Sports Festival organised by the Ministry of Sports he once again won the 1500 metres free style and scoured place in the 200 metres butterfly stroke.

His winning streak continued and at the national age group swimming championship organised by the SLASA he won four events by being placed first in the 200 metres individual medley, 400 metres individual medley, 800 metres free style and 200 metres butterfly where he established a new meet record.

At the senior nationals in 2011 (open), he was placed second in 1500 metres free style and 200 metres free style and third in 400 metres free style.

He has won his college colours in swimming and also the Central Province colours by the Sports Ministry and was also rewarded by the Sri Lanka Schools.

Migara Hulangamuwa's forte has been long distance swimming where he has achieved commendable success.

He is just on the rise and with more exposure, he could bring honours to the country. This gritty young boy holds a lot of promise for the future and one who has to be nurtured and his skills further improved.