Visakha wins waterpolo title for third time

By Leslie Fernando

SWIMMING: The holders Visakha retained the national women's Waterpolo title for the third successive year when they defeated Ladies by 4 goals to 2 in the final played at the Sugathadasa Stadium Sports Complex. The National and Junior National Aquatic Championships conducted by the Interim Committee of Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union is now in progress.

Visakhians played a well controlled game showing better ball possession, position play passing and good shooting together with fast swimming. In the first quarter the scored stood at 1-all, in the second quarter Visakhians led 2-0, the third 1-all and the final quarter nil-all. The final score stood at 4-2 and Visakha carried away the SLASU Challenge Trophy.

In the junior girls final, Ladies defeated Visakha Vidyalaya by 8 goals to 7. S. Thomas' College won the Junior boys title convincingly scoring 9 goals to 2 over Royal in the final. Thisari Dias of Anula Vidyalay and Machiko Raheem of Otter AC set new meet records in the Junior Swimming events.

Thisari in the under-14 girls 50 metres butterfly stroke timed 33.45 secs. to establish the first record, while Machiko accounted for the second new mark in the under-14 girls 100 metres free style 'clocking' 1.07.16 secs.

Mineka Karunaratne of Asian International School recorded her second win at the meet winning the women's 200 metres breast stroke - 2.54.34 secs. Imara Fahin of Rainbow AC also achieved a double with a win in the womens 400 metres free style - 5.04.88 secs. Trinity College continued there winning streak winning two more relay events under-14 boys 400 metres medlay relay 4.32.26 secs and the men's 400 metres medley relay - 4.21.04 secs.

Chanaka Wickremasinghe of Royal College Union AC who won the platform diving for men on Friday went on to with one metre spring board diving yesterday collecting 321.65 points. In the Junior boys 3 metres spring board diving Waleed Uwais of Royal College collected 136.15 points to take the top spot. Yashoda de Silva of St. Bridget's Convent won the 3 metres spring board with 151.15 points. Lukshani Ratnayake of Visakha Vidyalaya was the winner in the womens one metre spring board with 182.85 points.

The championships will continue today at 8.30 a.m.