'SL aims at best performance in SAARC games'

Ganga Ihala Group Corr

Sri Lanka's intention is to win the highest number of gold medals at the forthcoming SAARC games in New Delhi next year by offering stiff competition against Indian sportsmen and women, said Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

He was addressing a meeting at the Aluthgamage MV, Galpaya to mark the handing over of electric pianos and green boards to five schools in the Gampola Education Division recently. The pianos and green boards have been provided by the Education Ministry.

Minister Aluthgamage said his ministry has taken steps to boost sports in nine provinces including the North and East with this objective. A kreeda shakti programme has been launched to create a second generation of sportsmen and women by producing 1,200 sportsmen and women in the 14-18 age group.

He said a SAARC games operation office has been set up by his ministry and 23 sportsmen and women have been selected to be trained under foreign coaches by conducting training camps throughout the year. Anomalies in the administration of certain sports bodies have been eliminated and steps taken to eradicate obstacles and weaknesses in most sections of the sports field. He said playgrounds would also be developed under the Mahinda Chinthana future vision programme.