CPSC with Maldivian flavour on December 22

by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Corr.

It is going to be Central Province Swimming Championships(CPSC) with a Maldivian flavour. The 8th Annual Litro Gas - Sri Lanka Insurance Central Province Age Group and Novices Swimming Championship for boys and girls organised by the Central Province Aquatic Sports Association's (CEPASA) and sponsored by Litro Gas and Sri Lanka Insurance will be worked off at the Swimming Complex of the University of Peradeniya on Saturday December 22nd commencing at 8 a.m.

This is the biggest swimming meet in the Central Province with over 600 local swimmers and 27 swimmers from the Republic of Maldives expected to take the plunge.

First time foreign swimmers

This will be also the first time that foreign swimmers will be participating in this swimming championship and this has been possible due to the efforts of Chief Justice of Maldive Islands Justice Muthasin Adnan and the Senior Vice President of the CEPASA Janaka de Silva. Justice Muthasin Adnan has always been a supporter and a benefactor of this swimming meet.

Senior Vice-President of CEPASA Janaka de Silva said that despite the forebodings of our times, the two sponsors have come forward with a lavish sponsorship through the efforts of Piyadasa Kudabalage who is the Managing Director for Litro Gas and Executive Director of Sri Lanka Insurance.

It must be recalled that Kudabalage is a founder member of the CEPASA and has been supporting the cause of swimming in the province in many ways. His daughter Chamari though visually handicapped and despite the disadvantage was a fine swimmer and established many swimming records at school and age group level swimming with others with no impairments. This was a clear example of how when one door closes another opens.

112 events

A total of 112 events will be worked off in the two championships for the Age Group and the Novices which will be 50 metres Butter fly stroke, 50 metre back stroke, 50 metre breast stroke, 50 metre free style, 100 metre butterfly stroke, 100 metre back stroke, 100 metre breast stroke, 100 metre free style and 200 metre in the age groups of under 10, under 12, under 14, under 16 and over 16.

In the past this meet has several national swimmers like Heshan Unamboowe, Madhavee Weeratunga, Hansani Weeratunga and Miniruwani Samarakoon who narrowly missed the boat to Beijing Olympics, participating.

The defending champions for boys are the Trinity College swimmers who have won this championship from the inception.

This year, they will have top swimmers in the calibre of Shehan de Silva, Damsith Karunaratne (Captain), Poorna Dahanayake, Migara Hulangamuwa, Taveesha Edirisuriya, Imuditha Athurupane, Y.M. Shiek.

Mahamaya foremost among girls

In the championship for girls, Mahamaya Girls College are the defending champions, having won it from the inception like Trinity College.

They will have top swimmers like Sunethra Wijeratne, Vinoli Siriwardena, Devinda Jayawardena, Mahesha Yapa, Nisali Dissanayake, Nethma de Silva, Shamil de Silva, Imashi Abeykoon and Thilini Tennakoon.

The other top swimmers who will participate are Dilki Perera and Nethma de Silva from Girls High School, Nelum Uduwawela from Gateway College.

The other schools that will be participating are Gangasiri MV, Gampola, Kingswood College, St. Anthony's college, St. Sylvester's College, Hillwood Girl's College, Mowbray Girls College. Then in the Senior Category, University of Peradeniya, Army and many other clubs.

The organising committee comprises Janaka de Silva, U.H. Sugath, U.H. Pemlath, M.B. Palipane, Senaka Uduwawela and Palitha Kumara.

Piyadasa Kudabalage is expected to be the chief guest and also gracing the occasion will be former national swimmer and coach Julian Bolling and Chief Justice Muthasin Adnan.