Ananda – 50 years of racing at Mahagastota
S M Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Correspondent
Veteran racing driver Ananda de Alwis successfully completed his 50th
year of racing at the Mahagastota Speed Hill Climb organized by the
Ceylon Motor Sports Club and worked off at the Mahagastota division of
Pedro Group recently. He did two fine runs in his 35 year old Ford
Mexico to the applause of the motor racing fans. He timed 50.082 seconds
in the first run and 50.724 in the second to finish third.
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Ananda de Alwis |
His performance was an example to the youngsters who watched him with
awe.
Speaking to this correspondent Ananda de Alwis first thanked the
Ceylon Motor Sports Club for giving him the opportunity to participate
which he had done for the past fifty years without a break, thus
establishing a world record and putting his motherland in the map of
motor racing.
He said that he first took to motor racing in 1961 and has clocked 53
years and his first Mahagastota meet was in 1963 as a young planter
based in the Nuwara Eliya district. Since then he has participated
without a break. Even when abroad, he ensured that his entry was sent in
time and he returned to the island in time for the hill climb.
Mahagastota Speed Hill Climb has become a part of his life.
Unbroken run of participating in the same meet for fifty years is a
performance which is hard to break. This is dedication and love for the
sport which is unrivalled and unparalled and is likely to go into the
Guiness Book of Records.
Ananda de Alwis said that he bought this Ford Mexico car at a time
the import of cars was banned and he had to send his wife to work abroad
to earn the necessary foreign exchange and bring the car from England.
This is the hard way he had to bring his car.
He has no plans of retiring from the sport and he wants to keep
improving the record every year and end up with a virtual invincible
record. |
