Navy, Air Force joint champs Defence Services Games
Sri Lanka’s Defence Services
have shown tremendous form in sports activities after many years. Be it
rugby, athletics, cricket or any other discipline, sportsmen and women
from the three Services have made their presence felt at national level.
 At a time when hardly anyone felt that no local team could put an end
to the invincible unbeaten run by Kandy Sports Club in domestic rugby,
it was the Navy Sports Club which tamed the Lions in successive years in
the Caltex Premier League. The revival of Navy rugby was spearheaded by
former S. Thomas’ captain Yoshitha Rajapaksa.
Navy SC, with the blessings of Commander Vice Admiral Thisara
Samarasinghe, created history by winning the premier league soccer title
for the first time.
Army SC had its own share of success in athletics and cricket too.
Army SC and the Air Force, along with Navy SC are set to pose the
biggest threat to top club teams in the forthcoming 2011 Caltex Premier
League.
The success story of the Defence Services, not only in the
battlefront but also in the sports arena, was evident at the 2010
Defence Services Games which concluded last week with Sri Lanka Navy and
Sri Lanka Air Force emerging joint champions.
The Defence Services Games which continued for nearly a month held
its awards ceremony last week at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium under
the distinguished patronage of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The joint champions Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force
represented by Sub Lieutenant Yositha Rajapaksa and Group Captain Harsha
Fernando received the coveted Trophy for the champion team from chief
guest Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Commander of the Air Force and Chairman of the
Defence Services Sports Council Roshan Gunetilleke and the Chairman of
organising committee Defence Services Games 2010 Air Vice Marshal W.
Anura Silva were also present. |
