Vithanage trio excel in sports

By Upananda Jayasundera - Kandy Sports Special Corr.

SPORTSMEN: Vithanage brothers Sumudu, Shehan and Chamara of Kingswood College have been outstanding sportsmen who have done their school proud by performing in the sports that they have undertaken.

Eldest of the trio - Sumudu was elected Best Sportsman of Kingswood College in 1991 for his outstanding performances in cricket, boxing, baseball, football, hockey an table tennis. Furthermore, he was the Junior National Table Tennis champion in 1989 and 1990 and he is keeping his school flag flying by serving the Kandy Municipal Council as a Sports Officer.

Shehan - the middleman of the trio has excelled in soccer, hockey, rugby football, boxing, wrestling and table tennis. He was the wrestling champion at the Air Force when he was serving there between 1998 to 2003. He was also the Super Heavyweight Boxing Champion at the Defence Services Meet during that period.

As a rugby player, he represented the Defence Services against Chinese Taipei in 2000 as a prop forward. While a the Air Force he was awarded colours.

He left the Air Force and is presently attached to the Sugathadasa Stadium Sports Complex as a Sports Officer.

Youngest and the most outstanding among the trio, Chamara, was selected as the Best Sportsman of Kingswood in the year 2000 and he won the under 9, 11, & 13 table tennis titles at Junior Nationals.

As an Athlete, he was a Discus throw champion in the year 1998 and as the baseball captain of the under 16 team of Kingswood College he led the team to victory at the All Island Baseball Tournament in 1996.

In 1998, he was selected to Sri Lanka Schools hockey team to tour Malaysia as the goalkeeper but could not make the trip.

In the year 2000, he joined Kandy Sports Club at Rugby and is representing this victorious club to date. He also toured Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Chinese Thaipei for seven-a-side rugby tournaments and had the opportunity to represent Sri Lanka, qualifying round match against Kazakasthan in the year 2003.

Last year, he represented Sri Lanka in Rugby at the Commonwealth Games.

He was also selected as the Best Rugby Player at the recently concluded Caltex Trophy Rugby Tournament conducted by the Rugby/Football Union. Prior to that he was selected as the Best Mercantile Rugby Player in the year 2003 & 2004.

He was serving the Sampath Bank for sometime and presently seeks an employment.