`Karu' outstanding competitor and coach in bodybuilding

Leslie FERNANDO

PHYSICAL CULTURE: P.A. Karunaratne was one of the best physical culturist, the country has had. He was an outstanding bodybuilder and a fine weightlifter who became Mr. Ceylon and National Weightlifting Champion. Popularly known as `Karu', he was also a good administrator, one time President of Sri Lanka Bodybuilding Federation, patron of SLBBF and national coach too.

Karunaratne was a champion athlete at Mihindu Mawatha College and Maradana Central. He brought honour and glory to both schools at age group meets. So it is difficult to imagine that the body who showed lot of promise for athletics at the young age would one day become Mr. Ceylon and National Weightlifting Champion.

He was involved in the sport of bodybuilding at the age of 19 despite his coach V.A. Wijeweera advising him not to give up athletics. He joined the Colombo Municipal Council Community Centre and was trained under the guidance of late K. Duraisingham who was overall In-Charge of Physical Culture Section of the Playgrounds and Recreation Department. Karu learnt the fundamentals in bodybuilding and weightlifting from Duraisingham.

After undergoing training at the CMC Community Centre, Karu became a member of Central YMCA Fort and was trained under the guidance of Sridasa Liyanage, a top physical culturist. During the time at Central YMCA, karu improved tremendously in both bodybuilding and weightlifting.

He first participated in the Mr. Novice Contest in 1976 and was the winner in the Medium Class and took the runners-up position in the main contest. Karu came to the limelight when he won his first title in 1967 - Mr. Western Province Contest, he was also a winner in the medium eight class. In the same year, he was successful at the Mr. Nugegoda Physique Contest and was the winner in the Tall Man class and a winner too for the main title. In the Mr. `He Man Contest' in 1967, he became runner-up and won the prize for Tall man weight Class.

Mr. Ceylon

Karu's greatest moment was when he won the Mr. Ceylon title in 1967 and the Medium Weight Class. He repeated the same performance at the 1968 contest too and was a nominee for Mr. Asia Contest in 1968. He also excelled in Weightlifting from 1974 to 1982 and won the Novices Weightlifting title, Middleweight Championship, Up-Country-Low Country Middleweight Champion 1979-1980. He was a member of the Asian Weightlifting National Pool.

In many internationals

He had participated in several International meets in bodybuilding and weightlifting and proved his prowess in the middle class category. He was the youngest to obtain a certificate of Merit from IFBB, the world controlling body for bodybuilding in Canada. He followed a training course for weightlifting under a Bulgarian coach Mr. Saparow in 1982. Karu joined the Colombo Municipal Council as a playground instructor and was in charge of the bodybuilding and weightlifting sections. He organised several coaching camps for the under-privileged children of the city from 1978 to 1992. He has produced a number of national champions in bodybuilding and weightlifting. The record number of competitors who had participated at the Mr. Asia and Weightlifting Championship were from Community Centres of Colombo Municipal Council from 1968 to 1978.

Karu has held several key posts in the Sri Lanka Physical Culture Federation and the Sri Lanka Amateur Weightlifting and Physical Culture Association. He has judged at several International meets. He was also the Patron of the Sri Lanka Bodybuilding Federation.

He is a hard working official and trains and is also grades judges of the federation. He has been an official of the Mr. Asia and Mr. Universe Contests too.

The International Federation of Bodybuilders (Canada) the Worldbody Awarded special certificate to Karu for his dedication and outstanding achievement in the sport of bodybuilding in Sri Lanka. He also received the Prime Minister's Award at the Local Government Sports Festival in 1979.

Four of his pupils - K. Pathmasiri Perera, Ivan Fernando, K.V.G. Mettananda and Tuan Azeez have won places at International meets. Pathmasiri Perera 4th and 6th places at Mr. Asia in 1976, Ivan Fernando 6th place in Mr. Asia in 1985, Mettananda and Zeez 7th places in Asian Contest in 1985.

Karu as coach has been with his pupils, Mettananda, Pathmasiri and Ivan Fernando at Mr. Universe Contest.

After leaving the Colombo Municipality he joined Building Materials Corporation (BMC) in 1978. He was one of the Managers at BMC. At the BMC he also coached several bodybuilders and weightlifters to rise to the top in these sports. He is presently the Chief Instructor at Central YMCA, Fort.

He has a `word of thanks' for everyone who helped him to gain success.

Karu finally has a special word of thanks to late B.A. Jayasinghe (a former Municipal Commissioner - a great lover of sports), D.H. De Silva (a former Charity Commissioner and Chief Playground Instructor, CMC and Nomads cricket captain), R. Janakaram and Wijeratne Siriwardena (Chairman BMC) for their good support and guidance.