Margaret 'Nangi' de Saram came eighth in Commonwealth Games

By A. C. de Silva

SWIMMING : Remember Margaret 'Nangi' de Saram of St. Bridget's fame, the swimming ace who set many records at school, club and at National level established such marvellous performances that she will be remembered by many swimmers of the past as the best that Sri Lanka has produced in swimming.

Well, Margaret, now Mrs Cader, has been in London in the past few years spreading the good work that she started here in Sri Lanka. After her wonderful performances in the pool, establishing a number of records that are too many to recount, Margaret has not lost touch with the sport that she seemed to love so much. She is coaching right now and has been doing so without any fuss for around 13 years or so.

But having been a swimmer herself, and a champion at that, "Nangi" as she is affectionately known to some ardent followers of the sport in the good old days, is doing a great service to the sport.

There are many youngsters in the island these days who have taken to swimming in a big way, and Sri Lanka, blessed with many swimming pools around the country can expect some fine performances by the young swimmers that are to be found in the schools today.

Many swimmers, I mean the present day lot who are involved in competitions, will not know much of this great swimmer "Nangi" whose one quality was not to speak too much about her performances and that quality was sent down the line to her younger sister Julian, now Mrs Bandaranayake who is now concentrating on synchronised swimming and is doing a pretty good job.

Margaret was easily the best woman swimmer produced by Sri Lanka. Her great deeds in foreign climes speak for themselves. The present lot can take Margaret as a fine example.

Commonwealth Games come second in line to Olympic Games in International Competitions and it was in the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica as a 15 year-old that "Nangi" de Saram was in full flight and entered the final of the 110 yards Breast Stroke event to 'clock' 1 minute 25.0 seconds and was eighth just four seconds behind the winner Deanna Harris of England whose timing was 1 minute 19.7 seconds, which equalled the record.