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| Sunday, 28 December 2003 |
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Prabha Dharmadasa - outstanding swimmer this year by LESLIE FERNANDO The 12-year-old Prabha Madhavi Dharmadasa, a national swimmer from Musaeus College is the outstanding swimmer of the year 2003. She is also the youngest swimmer to achieve this unique feat. Praba is not only a champion in the pool, but, prominent in the sea as well. She was awarded the youngest swimmer's trophy (for girls) at the 65th two-mile sea swim held at Mt. Lavinia in 2002. It is also an established fact that she has established over 10 national records within a short period of her swimming career. Prabha the breast-stroker, came into prominence in 1998 and never looked back since then. She has surpassed the feats of former Sri Lanka 'stars' Renuka Ranasinghe, Janice Hsu, Udeshika Biyanwela, Deepika Chanmugam, Purinima Sunderasen, R. M. Dhammika, Tehani Weerasinghe, Shehani Gunasena, Upeksha de Silva, Menaka de Silva, Miniruwani Samarakoon, Mihiri Kandanarachchi. Prabha started swimming at the tender age of seven when not even ten, hit the top when she erased off the 50 metres breast stroke record which still stands. Prabha began her education at Mahamaya College, Kandy and swam for the Kandy school coached by national coach E. G. A. Wilson. In the year 2000, she joined Musaeus College and trained under the same coach. She has represented Sri Lanka at the 2nd Karnatake Swimming Meet held in Bangalore, India and won two bronze medals in the 50 metres breast stroke and 50 metres back stroke. In this year's Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka Schools Swimming Championships held in Chennai, India, Prabha won two gold medals in the 50 metres breast stroke and 100 metres individual medley and silver medal in the 50 metres back stroke. She swam in the girls under 14 age category. At the 3rd Asian Age Group Swimming Championships held in August this year in Macau, China she won a Diploma in the 50 metres breast stroke. She has met with outstanding success this year. Her performances - 66th Annual Open 2-Mile Sea Swim at Mt. Lavinia - Women Championships 6th place, 31st National Pentathlon Championships-Became Girls under-14 champion, winning all five events - 100 metres butterfly, freestyle, back stroke, breast stroke and 200 metres individual medley. 4th Short course National Swimming Championships-swam in the Women's Open and runner-up 100 metres breast stroke and 200 metres freestyle and third in 4x50 metres freestyle relay and 4x50 metres medley relay. 27th National Age Group Swimming Championships: She swam in the girls under-14 and became the champion winning, the 50 and 100 metres back stroke, 50 and 100 metres breast stroke 200 metres individual medley and 400 metres individual Medley setting a new record. Sri Lanka Schools Swimming Championships won first places in the 100 metres back stroke, 100 metres breast stroke and 200 metres breast stroke setting a new record. Was runner-up in the 4x100 metres medley relay. 2nd Chennai-Sri Lanka Schools Swimming Meet: Won the 100 metres individual medley and 50 metres breast stroke, runner-up in the 50 metres back stroke, 4x25 metres medley relay and 4x25 metres free style relay. She became girls under-13 champion. 29th National sports Festival, conducted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports: Emerged women's open - Champion, winning all three events 50 and 100 metres breast stroke and 200 metres breast stroke. Inaugural Junior National Swimming Championships: Established four new records in the girls under-14 - 200 metres individual medley, 50 metres back stroke, 100 metres back stroke, 50 metres breast stroke, runner-up in 100 metres breast stroke, first in 4x50 metres medley relay. 3rd Asian Age Group Swimming Championships in Macau, China: A Diploma in the 50 metres breast stroke girls under-16. National Swimming Championships: Prabha came first in the 200 metres individual medley, 400 metres individual medley, 100 metres breast stroke, 200 metres freestyle, runner-up in the 50 metres breast stroke, 200 metres breast stroke, 4x200 metres freestyle relay, third in 50 and 100 metres back stroke, 4x100 metres free style relay. She was the Women's Open champion. Though much time is devoted to swimming, Prabha is also good at studies. She is in grade 7 and is involved in other activities as well at Museaus. She is also a girl guide and is also involved in music. Her main ambition right now is to swim at the forthcoming SAF Games to be held in Islamabad, Pakistan in February 2004 and help Sri Lanka win medals. She is ever grateful to her parents for the tremendous encouragement they have given her in pursuing her career in swimming and also to coach E. G. A. Wilson. She is grateful to both Principals Mrs. R. W. K. Ratnayake (Mahamaya College, Kandy) and Mrs. N. K. Pilapitiya (Musaeus College) for all the encouragement extended to her. Prabha's sister Uma Kaviya Dharmadasa also from Musaeus College (London 'O' Level Student) is also a national swimmer. Uma has represented Sri Lanka at several international meets in India, China and Singapore. She holds several schools and national records. Uma won the women's Open title at the two-mile sea swim held in Mt. Lavinia in 2002 and 2003. She was selected to swim at the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games in Islamabad, Pakistan. Unfortunately, this meet has been postponed twice. |
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