The Sunday Leader » Swimming

Instant Swimmer – Just Add Water

Abdul H. Azeez — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 18:42:25 +0000

By Neeta Nicholas

The exceptionally talented Akalanka Peiris of St Peter’s College, Colombo is no doubt a budding swimming genius having established four national records at the All Island Inter-school Under-12 swimming meets held recently.

He also secured the Under-12 age category Swimming Championship trophy in three of the national events and became the first Peterite to be honoured as a Triple Champion, brining glory to his ‘Alma Mater.’
Let’s have a look at Akalanka Peiris’ accomplishments;
Ranked 1st in the following events at the Pentathlon Championship (2011) and adjudged as the Under-11 Champion Swimmer:
50m Butterfly Stroke – 00.33.56
50m Back Stroke – 00.36.21
50m Breast Stroke – 00.41.32
50m Free-style – 00.30.83
200m Individual Medley – 02.52.83
Secured 1st Place at the Sri Lanka Schools Championship (2011) in the following:
50m Butterfly Stroke – 00.33.20 (New Meet Record)
50m Free Style – 00.31.19
200m Individual Medley – 02.53.19
Was declared as the Under-11 Champion Swimmer in the above meet held.
Triumphed as 1st at the National Age Group Championship (2011) and acquired the Under-12 Championship award.
50m Free-style – 00.30.46 (New Meet Record)
50m Butterfly Stroke – 00.31.21New Meet Record)
50m Back Stroke – 00.35.21 (New Meet Record)
50m Breast Stroke – 00.41.53
The people behind Akalanka Peiris’ successes are Rev. Fr Travis Gabriel, the rector of St. Peter’s College, Rev Fr Lakmin Prasanga the sports coordinator, the coach Mahil Chandralal, the assistant coaches Raginda Perera and Upul Vijithasiri and the Master in charge of Swimming Jude Denzil Fernando all played a very vital role in terms of the dedication, motivation, guidance and mentorship it takes in creating a champion and a prodigy.

Visakha Swimming Champion

admin — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:38:15 +0000

Udara Cumaratunga of Jayathilake House was hailed as the Under 19 Age Group Champion at the Visakha Vidyalaya Inter House Swimming Meet 2010 held recently. She has been the champion of her age group since 2000. She emerged Open Champion in 2006, 2007, 2008 and Joint Champion in 2009 with Nadeera Jayasekera.
Udara has brought honour to the school by winning the Best Swimmers Award at the Sri Lanka Schools Swimming and Diving Championships and at the National Sports Festival in 2009.
Udara represented Sri Lanka at the Chennai 2006, South Asia Swimming and Water Polo Championships 2007, the 6th AASF Asian Age Group Championships 2009 and the South Asian Games 2010 in Dakha, Bangladesh.
Meanwhile Weerasooriya House emerged champions, with 363 points, at Visakha Vidyalaya’s annual Inter House Swimming Meet held at the School’s Swimming Complex. Dawes House (346 points) and Dias House (324 points) were adjudged second and third respectively.
The Visakhian swimmers are guided by Teacher-in-Charge Jayani Jayaweera and trained by Coach Nishantha de Costa. Chief Guest on the occasion was Ms. Asangi Wijesundere, a champion swimmer and former Visakha Water Polo Captain.
Several invited schools such as Methodist College, Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Lyceum and Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya added colour to the meet.

Kingswood Aquatic Club Swimming Championship

admin — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:30:42 +0000

Kingswood swimming champion receiving the challenge shield from chief guest Oliver Nanayakkara. Also in the picture, Teacher in Charge of Swimming Ms. Gothami

Kingswood College Kandy’s fifth Annual Provincial Swimming Championships was held on November 7-8 at the Kingswood College swimming pool, under the patronage of Principal Ranjith Chandrasekera. Contenders from 55 government and private schools of the Central Province took part in the event organised by the Kingswood Aquatic Club.

Kingswood Aquatic presently has 1000 ‘gentlemen’ of Kingswood (present students) as members. Membership is open to students from grade 1 to 13. In addition Kingswood Aquatic Club has over 750 students from over 50 schools in the region.

Kingswood College, one of the most prominent schools in the island, has produced great citizens to mother Lanka for over 114 years. Kingswood College is also credited with introducing school rugby in Sri Lanka.

Kingswood has a tradition of addressing its present and old boys as “Gentlemen of Kingswood”. Year 2004, was another milestone year for the Gentlemen of Kingswood, in which year the Kingswood Union (Old Boys Association) celebrated 100 years of service to its alma mater.

The Centenary Committee of the Kingswood Union, with the visionary leadership of the present Principal Ranjith Chandrasekera, built the beautiful swimming pool within the college promises, along with a state of the art language laboratory which is another first by Kingswood College.