Former Trinitian 'Madda' Dassanayake off to Australia

by Upananda Jayasundera Kandy Sports Special Cor.

GENERAL: Allround sportsman engineer Madhuka Dassanayake - an old Trinitian left Sri Lanka on December 16 to make Australia his new home. He will be in Perth, Western Australia.

He was one of the leading students of Trinity College in the 1990s, excelling both in studies as well as in sports activities.

It was a steady climb in the ladder of success for him at Trinity. He was adjudged the Best Allround Student of Trinity Junior School in 1985 and won the Ryde Gold Medal in 1994 as the Best Allround Student.

He was also the Head Prefect of Trinity in 1994-95 and was awarded the prestigious 'Valesca Reimann Scholarship' by the Trinity College Union of Australia.

Affectionately known as "Madda" to his friends, he excelled in rugby football, basketball, chess and swimming at Trinity.

From Trinity, "Madda" went over to the University of Sri Lanka, Peradeniya where he continued his interest in sports and he was involved in rugby football, basketball, wrestling and swimming. He continued his interest in rugby football after joining MAS Holdings Group of Companies to which his company - Stretch Line belonged and was seen playing rugger in the Mercantile Tournament in October too.

Madhuka's wife Dr. Nadee of the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital will be joinging him when their baby daughter is a little bit older. Nadee too was involved in sports and was the Games Captain of Mahamaya College in 1995 and she was also a colourswoman of the Peradeniya University in basketball.

Sports seems to run in the Dassanayake family and "Madda's brother Dr. Rajeewa who is attached to the Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital has been quite a versatile sportsman and won several judo and wrestling titles.

He is also a coloursman in wrestling and rugby football at the Peradeniya University. He was also the Sri Lanka representative at the 40th Olympic Youth Sessions held in Athens, Greece in 2000. Dr. Rajeewa, however, will not be going across to Australia.