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| Sunday, 31 March 2002 |
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Ajith
Weerakkody and Pushpa Chandani win Kinross six-mile sea swim again
by LESLIE FERNANDO The sea-swim specialist 23-year-old Ajith Weerakkody of Sri Lanka Navy stamped his class to win the 38th annual open six-mile sea-swim of Kinross Swimming and Life Saving Club for the third year in succession held at Wellawatte yesterday. The course of the race was from Wellawatte to Mt. Lavinia and back. The women's race was won by R. Pushpa Chandani of Sri Devananda Vidyalaya, Ambalangoda. Bank of Ceylon, the principal sponsor for aquatic sports for NAASU sponsored this event for the seventh year. Ajith who holds several long distance swimming records, has fared prominently in this year's sea swims. He won the Mt. Lavinia two-mile sea-swim on March 3 for the 5th time in-a-row and also set up a record winning the Ambalangoda two-mile sea-swim on March 17 for the sixth successive time, a praiseworthy feat indeed! Seventy six swimmers participated in the men's race and 30 completed. Ajith, used his experience to win the men's race comfortably. He led from the start to the turn and the finish with a time of 2 hours 39 minutes and 31 secs. Ajith won the M. G. Sirimanne Memorial Challenge Cup. Ajith, after the swim said that it was not easy to swim in the sea on this day as it was very rough. P. R. Anusha Kumara of Dolphin AC finished second 2:56:57 secs, E. G. Ishan Eranga of P. de S. Kularatne MV Ambalangoda third - 3:06:00 secs, E. Prasanna Peiris of Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda fourth - 3:06:01 secs, J. V. Ruwan Silva of Sri Devananda Ambalangoda fifth - 3:18:55 secs, P. D. Duraj Rangana (SDV) sixth - 3:18:57 secs. Saman Alwis, C. P. K. Thambawita, P. K. D. N. Chaminda and H. Manawadu (all of Police SC) were placed seventh to tenth respectively. Chandani wins 18-year-old R. Pushpa Chandani, the year-12 art student from Sri Devananda Vidyalaya, Ambalangoda also proved her class to win the women's race for the third successive year. Pushpa Chandani was the women's winner at the recently concluded Ambalangoda 2-mile sea-swim. Only six swimmers participated in the women's event and three completed the course. Pushpa Chandani timed 3 hours 46 minutes 11 secs. Ramachandran Krishani of Kinross LS & SC placed second 4:01:01 secs and J. A. D. R. J. Jayakoddy of Sri Lanka Air Force third - 4:22:57 secs. Pushpa Chandani was awarded the John Roche Challenge Cup. K. T. Pamila Chamara (SDV Ambalangoda) became the youngest swimmer to finish the race. Chamara finished 18th in the main race - 3:51:55 secs. The 17-year-old Chamara was presented the Maharajah Challenge Cup. The 42-year-old B. D. Guruge of Police SC was the oldest swimmer. Guruge came 11th in the men's race - 3:27:26 secs. He was awarded the Tissa Ariyaratne Challenge Cup. Police SC swimming squad took the team race with 121 points and were presented the Turab A. Jafferjee Challenge Cup. Sri Devananda Vidyalaya second with 57 points and Sri Lanka Navy third with 35 points. Mr. Nimal Dias, Senior Assistant General Manager, Bank of Ceylon was the chief guest. |
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