By Panchamee HEWAVISSENTI

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You seem to be leading a busy life. Do you find it difficult to keep your job with family life?

You’re correct. I am now experiencing an extremely busy life. From dawn to dusk it is tedious. I am up by 4.45 a.m. and start preparing breakfast. I have to wake my children up and prepare bed tea for everyone at home. Then I start bathing them, feeding breakfast and getting them dressed. I must mention the immense support I receive from my parents. Had it not been for their assistance, I couldn’t imagine managing my family life and my job.

Their school vehicle arrives at around 6.45 a.m. and by that time I am back with my husband after a good work out at the Tyronne Fernando Stadium, Moratuwa. After my children go to school, I engage in some household chores before I go to office. Usually I set off from office by 4.30 p.m. If there’s special work at office, I work till late-around 7.30 p.m. or 8 p.m. After I return from work, I have to attend to my children’s studies and their interactions. I do the washing of clothes at night when my children go to sleep.

This is my usual routine. Quite hectic and busy too.

Where do you work?

I work at the Hatton National Bank, Moratumulla branch. I was earlier attached to the Moratuwa branch. But I asked for a transfer to Moratumulla branch due to its easy accessibility. It takes not more than 10 minutes for me to reach office. I leave home by 8 a.m.

How long have you been working at HNB?

I count over 17 years of experience at HNB.

How are you involved in your children’s activities at home?

It is very difficult to be away from them. At times I leisurely read a magazine, newspaper or a book. The children don’t like to see me just staying at home doing nothing. They some how drag me to play with them. After their playing session is over, I wash them and then make them study. I get involved in their studies and help them to solve a difficult sum or to explain a complex reading material. I too worship the Buddha in the shrine room with my children. Because, I believe that parents should be an example to little ones. My mother usually prepares dinner and when I find time I help her too.

My children do not trouble me like other little ones. When they feel sleepy, they go to bed. I do not have to force them to go to bed or be with them till they fall a sleep.

Do you find time to be with your husband and to engage in some recreational activities?

It’s hard for me to focus my attention beyond the job, house hold chores and children.

I have leisure time only when my children are out of home for class or at night when they fall asleep. I utilize that time to do what I’m interested in. I do read magazines and watch films. My favourite program on TV is Discovery.

Where does your husband work?

He works at Sri Lanka Cricket Board. He returns home at about 7.30 p.m.

Tell us about your children....

I have four children. Two sons and two daughters. My younger daughters are twins.

My eldest son is studying in grade 7 at St. Sebastian College, Moratuwa. The other one is in grade 4. My two daughters are studying in grade 1 at Princess of Wales, Moratuwa.

Do your children engage in any sports at school?

My eldest son is playing in the school’s under 17 cricket team. Though my second son is a scout, he too shows a keen interest in cricket.

Do you ever want your daughters to be athletes like you?

I’m sure my sons will not get into athletic field. But my daughters are as naughty as their mother. I can see good athletic potential in them. When I take them to the grounds in the evening, they run more than four rounds non stop.

When the ball gets hit to the roof when my sons are playing cricket, they send their sisters up the roof to fetch it. They are naughty and mischievous than their brothers.

One of my dreams is to see both run in the Sri Lanka 400m relay team. If they show any interest or if they are capable, certainly, I would render my fullest support to my daughters with guidance and proper coaching.

When did you first make your debut in the athletics?

My foray into athletic field was when I was 11 years old. Then I was studying at Upananda Central College, Marawila. Due to my satisfactory performance at the school sports meet, I was selected to represent Sri Lanka at the Junior Asian Games in Singapore. I was the only athlete from a rural school and all the others were from Colombo schools. Although, I was the only one who bagged the gold medal -that’s in the 1000m event and the bronze medal in the 1500m event.

Was your achievement well recognized when you returned ....I mean did you receive any sort of sponsorship to boost your abundant talent?

Yes! They did recognise my great showing in Singapore. I was offered a full scholarship to pursue my higher studies at any leading popular school in Colombo with hostel facilities.

So, did you have the good fortune of studying in a reputed school in Colombo?

I do not exactly know whether it was a twist of fate. After I was offered the scholarship, which was a dream for a village girl like me to study in a popular leading school, my parents turned down that offer due to their conservative attitude.

Yet, I entered Sangamitta College in Galle for my higher studies.

Could you share with us some of your best athletic memories.....

Well, Junior Asian Games in Indonesia and Russia, Asia Games in Philippines and Barcelona Olympics in 1993, Hong Kong Asian Junior Games left good memories. Asian Games in Philippines in 1993 marked a great landmark in my athletic career. There I became the third in Asia with my best timing. I could even beat the then Asia’s number one S. Wilson from India.

When was did you hang up your spikes?

I represented the National Team, till SAARC games in 1993. Yet until recently I took part in over 35 veterans’ meet. Though I officially retired, I feel that I still have that strength which an athlete should possess.

The reason for my retirement was that my parents and my husband emphasized that I should be dedicated to my family. I took part in the Asian Championship in which I came third, after three months of my marriage. Though I announced my official retirement, I intended to take part in games after the birth of my first child. Due to lack of practice after I had my second baby, I became unfit for the sport. Then I decided to dedicate myself to the family.

You were excluded from the National Selection Committee that you have been serving for some time. Do you have any idea as to why they dropped you?

They have excluded me without even informing me. I yet did not receive a reasoned reply for it. I believe that there was a sinister move behind that.

There is a group of people who hold high positions enjoy the perks do not like others enjoying same and they are serving in the same position more than three decades. When the new officials actively and enthusiastically engaged in doing something good for the athletes in the country, the other officials are afraid lest they lose their perks.

The only thing they do, being in high seats is that they enjoy overseas trips with their families. They enjoy not from their own money but from the money allocated for the betterment of the athletes. There’re some athletes who cannot afford to buy even a pair of track shoes.

What I feel was a reason for excluding me from the National Selection Committee is that those who hold positions more than three decades are suffering from inferiority complex scared that the young crowd who enter the administration would do better and they would lose their perks. I personally feel that these long serving people should retire now and let the young blood take over the administration.

So, as you said the high positions are highly politicized and corrupted, nothing new has seen done to uplift Sri Lanka athletics. Don’t you try to find a solution for that?

I cannot fight a lone battle. I have to gather the veterans in the field who have also been discriminated and make a collective voice against the corruption and the injustice. Hopefully we will do something with the help of the Spots Minister.

That means you will be back on track....

Most probably. The Sports Minister has a plan to send some of the retired athletes like Sriyani Kulawansa, Sugath Thilakaratne, Damayanthi Darsha and I for a training camp overseas to train as coaches and instructors to work at the Sports Academy they are planning to build..

Since my children are grown up, I may be able to spare time for such a task. I would even retire from my bank job and engage in such a fruitful endeavour.

What do you think are the reasons for having your 800m record unbroken to date?

Nowadays children are not dedicated and committed to the sport that much. They are obsessed with maintaining their educational career with sports coming second best.

You should commit and dedicate yourself to the sport a great deal in order to excel. Today’s children lack self confidence. They often depend on others. They hardly bear difficulties and challenges in life. Parents provide them with all that the child demands and that is the reason for their low morale.

What were the difficulties you faced and what helped you to mould a great athlete in you?

I didn’t tread in a rosy path. The difficulties and sufferings I underwent were untold. I strongly believed that those things strengthened my morale and self confidence.

Believe me, when I had to run in my first international meet, I didn’t even own a pair of track shoes. Though I faced numerous difficulties, I never gave up. Instead the negative aspects made me strive for the goal.

I never had a “special dietary” program. What I ate was the healthiest village food.