Trinity and Mahamaya fancied for top honours

By Leslie Fernando

SWIMMING: Kandy swimmers from Trinity College and Mahamaya College the undisputed girl's swimming champions, will go out firm favourites at the Age Group Relay Championships the first major swimming meet for the year 2008. The meet is conducted by the Interim Committee of the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union to be held on Saturday February 2 at the Sugathadasa Stadium swimming pool.

Trinity and Mahamaya have performed creditably well at the last three meets held last October, November and December. These two schools also excelled at the Kandy District Swimming Association Championships held recently to emerge boys and girls overall champions respectively.

According to senior officials of SLASU, all leading swimmers from clubs and schools will participate in five age categories (boys and girls) - under-10, under-12, under-14, under-16, and under-19.

Overall champions will be decided on points: first place (20), second (15), third (13), fourth (10), fifth (8), sixth (6), seventh (4) and eighth (2).

SLASU selectors Arun Gamlatge, Nishantha Wickremesinghe, Jeevaka Perera and Samitha Perera will watch the performances of the swimmers and those who come out with better timings will be included to the National Training pool in preparation for the Hong Kong open swimming meet to be held in May at Kawloon Park swimming pool, Hong Kong.

At last year's meet, Ananda College and Mahamaya College carried away major honours, winning the SLASU challenge trophies for boys and girls overall championships. In the boys events, Ananda had 149 points while Mahamaya College 219 points to win the girls title for the third time in-a-row. Altogether nine records were established in 2007, Mahamaya College accounted for four new marks, Ananda were responsible for three records while Trinity College and Ladies College set a new record each.

Swimmers from Ananda, S. Thomas' College, Royal, AIS, British School in Colombo, Rainbow AC, RCUAC, Royal Institute, Lyceum International School, SSC, St. Joseph's College, SL Air Force, St. Peter's College are bound to offer stiff opposition to Trinity College in the boys events.

In the girls events, Mahamaya College are fancied to retain the title on their swimmers current excellent form, Ladies College, Visakha Vidyalaya, RAC, AIS, CIS, Hillwood College, Kandy, Southland College, St. Bridget's Convent, Musaeus College will battle-it-out for minor places.