An investment for the future
By Panchamee HEWAVISSENTI
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The
fastestever schoolboy athlete Shehan Ambepitiya |
Shehan Ambepitiya is the hope of Sri Lanka at the Youth Commonwealth
Games scheduled to be held in Pune, India (starting from today till 14).
He was marked out as the Most Outstanding Athlete (boys) followed by his
excellent performance at the National School Games at the Sugathadasa
Stadium recently. He set up a new meet record of 100m in 10.58s at the
100m sprinting event to overcome the previous record of 10.77s which was
earlier held by Viraj Charitha of D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo in
2006.
Here is the interview Ambepitiya had with the Sunday Observer.
You were initially studying at the President’s College, Kotte. How
did you become a student of the Gateway International School?
I actively engaged in sports when I was at the President’s College,
Kotte. Having been impressed by my performance, Mr. Sunil Gunawardene,
my current coach, volunteered to guide and to bring out the sportsman in
me. Mr. Gunawardene opened new horizons for me and further inspired me.
He told me that in order to be an international athlete I should have
sound background for that. He often highlighted the significance of
fluency in English that would be an irrefutable decoration for my sports
stardom. That’s why I entered Gateway International College.
Were you able to get the interactional exposure at the Gateway
College?
Yes. When I was at the President’s College, I hadn’t taken part in
any international meets. After I entered Gateway College, I represented
Sri Lanka at the World Youth Games in Czechoslovakia where I ranked the
world’s 21. Then I took part in Junior South Asian Games and I bagged
gold medals at the events 100m, 200m and relay.
I became the Second Speediest Junior Athlete at the Junior South
Asian Games held in Jakarta this year.
I became the 7th in the world at the World Junior Games.
You aren’t from an English speaking family. Wasn’t it proved to be a
barrier for you to study in English medium once you entered Gateway
International School?
Yes. I don’t come from an English speaking family. But by now I have
got the opportunity to associate with English speaking society and I’m
happy with that.
At the beginning I found it a bit challenging to do my studies in
English medium.But now I can manage my studies with no difficulty at
all.
How is the back up you get from the school?
The emotional and physical support I get from my teachers is
tremendous. I’m truly grateful to them for the endeavour they make to
assist me for my studies. I often miss classes due to practice sessions
or meets and my teachers take the trouble staying after school to teach
me lessons I missed and my friends often assist me by providing me with
the notes.
I must mention about the enormous succour Mr. R.I.T. Alles renders to
balance my educational and sports career.
How about your family?
My parents are the real force behind my success. Especially the
morale my mother builds in me is immeasurably vital to my personal and
sports life. The support from my sister is also highly admirable and she
has turned out to be a good fan of mine.
Your mother was suffering from a certain type of an illness some time
back. How is she now?
We had to run up against a tough time due to various problems. She is
alright now.
Even while my mother was ill, her blessings and words of
encouragement propelled me towards success. I was able to bag three gold
medals while my mother was undergoing a serious kidney surgery. My
mother was admitted to the hospital the day before my sports meet.She
was hardly able to express a few words to wish me for the meet.
She was overjoyed to hear of my achievement later on recuperation.
Have you got any sponsor?
Yes, Mr. Alles , the chairman of the Gateway College, has come to an
agreement with Munchee Company to grant a sponsorship for my sports
career.
You have received a scholarship to UK to pursue your higher studies.
Then Sri Lanka will lose one of the best sprinters for a brief period.
Do you hope to go to UK to pursue your higher studies?
The discussions regarding it are under way and I cannot express
anything about it at the moment. I want to excel in studies as well.
Whether I may go there or not will be a matter of my destiny.
What his coach, Sunil Gunawardene says,
Though not vastly spoken of, the psychological aspect of sports plays
an important role. What can you say about that? And where does Sri Lanka
stand in providing those essential facilities?
"Mental equilibrium" plays a vital role in any sport. That's a very
complicated process. It is equally important to have the service of a
physio and a doctor. I am depressed to tell you that there's hardly any
facilities available in Sri Lanka to deal with the psychological
development of a sportsman. Everything is expected from the coach. A
good coach should always set the goal for the sportsman to achieve. So
that the sportsman is determined to achieve the particular goal because
the coach envisages to him the rewarding effects of the victory.
Building self-confidence and discipline in the sportsman are also a
prime responsibility on the part of the coach. I see a huge shortcoming
in this field in the country. It is that when the athletes go on foreign
tours, the coach is not accompanied. The athletes that I coach often
have to face that inconvenience when they are abroad.
They have to communicate with me over the phone to get instructions
on how to perform in the next session. It's hard to explain them how to
do things over the phone without being with them and explaining them how
to excel in the next step.
Shehan has gone on several trips. Though I'm the coach I couldn't go
on any tour to assist him further, but some one else goes on the tour
instead. I think it's high time for the responsible bodies to plan it in
a proper way, I mean to get coach's service to the maximum level which
would help the athlete excel in performance at the meets abroad.
How do you asses Shehan's performance in a coach's view point?
He is undoubtedly our next hope in the athletic field. He ranked the
7th fastest in the world last year.
He made a new record by scoring 10.5s. No schoolboy in the history
had hit such a record. That is better than the timing of the national
champion. I believe that he will be able to get a medal at the World
Games as well.
What help does Shehan receive from the others?
I think he is now at the centre of country's attention and many are
ready to help him. His parents have taken it very serious and show a
keen interest in their child's sports career. Sports Ministry assist him
in various ways. Even media has given him his due recognition. I think
this is a good time for him.
Do you think Shehan will be able to represent Olympics one day?
After 1994 we have been consecutively winning the Asian medals.
Shehan's foray into athletic field is historical land mark where there's
no potential athlete to emerge. As Susanthika retired from Olympics, I
think our next hope is Shehan. |
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