Matthew shatters Sri Lanka record in 200m freestyle

Matthew Abeysinghe of Killer Whale Aquatics set a new Sri Lanka, a South Asian Games as well as national record in the 200 metre freestyle event on the third day of the National Aquatic Championship held at Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo yesterday.

Killer Whale Aquatic’s Kimiko Raheem competes in the women’s 100m backstroke event. Raheem set a new Sri Lanka record, a new South Asian Games record and a national record with a timing of 1:05.67 minutes at the national Aquatic Championship held at Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo yesterday. Raheem anchored the women’s 400m freestyle relay quartet to establish a new national record clocking 4:17.03. Pic by Susantha Wijegunaseka.

Matthew Abeysinghe competes in 200m freestyle event. Abeysinghe established a new Sri Lanka record, new South Asian Games record and National record in the 200m freestyle event clocking 1:52.75 minutes at the National Aquatic Championship worked off at Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo yesterday. Abeysinghe anchored the men’s 400 metre freestyle relay quartet to set a new national record . Pic Susantha Wijegunasekara

The 17-year-old Abeysinghe clocked 1:52.75 to win the Gold medal erasing the previous Sri Lanka record of 1:55.04 set by O Tvest Kvski in 1995. The Sri Lanka’s freestyle champion, who won a bronze medal at the recently concluded Asian Youth Games, broke the South Asian Games record of 1:59.07 set by India’s Virdhaval Khade in 2006. The champion swimmer of the island bettered his own National record of 1:52.76 set in August this year. It was apparent that Abeysinghe maintained a 15-metre lead over the other swimmers when he touched the winning mark yesterday.

In the 100 metre backstroke event, Killer Whale Aquatic’s Kimiko Raheem produced a remarkable achievement in her pet event.

The 14-year-old swimmer recorded 1:05.67 minutes breaking her own national record of 1:07.45 set in August this year. Raheem also broke the South Asian Games record of 1:09.05 set by Fariha Zaman in 2006 SA Games. The outstanding backstroke swimmer in the island won the gold medal with a 10 metre lead for the second place, which was won by Colombo International School’s Nadeera Jayasekara.

Killer Whale Aquatics Kyle Abeysinghe established a junior national record in the first event yesterday evening. The thirteen-year-old Abeysinghe brother timed 2:08.85 minutes erasing the Under-14 200 metre freestyle record of 2:09.99 set by Dianaka Dharmapriya in last year’s national championship.

Cherantha de Silva of Ananda College broke the South Asian Games record in men’s 50m butterfly event. The 17-year-old de Silva clocked 25.25 seconds breaking the previous SAG record of 25.54 set by India’s Virdhaval Vikram Khade in 2010. Former Lankan swimmer Ghefari Dulapandan holds the current national record and the Sri Lanka record of the 50m butterfly event. Dulpandan had timed 25.23 to establish both Sri Lanka record and national record in 2000.

Killer Whale Aquatics men’s 400 metre freestyle relay quartet produced an outstanding achievement in a thrilling freestyle event yesterday.

The quartet of Matthew Abeysinghe, Dillon Abeysinghe, Jashan Silva and Kavin Weerasinghe clocked 3:44.75 to set a new national record breaking previous national record of 3:46.56. The Royal College team which comprised of Kanitha Munasinghe Shehan Kaushalya, Pasindu de Silva and Chandula Fernando bettered the previous national record with a timing of 3:45.15.

Killer Whale Aquatics women’s 400m freestyle relay team - Machiko Raheem, Kimiko Raheem, Reshika Udugampola and Shajan Aminath set a new national record.

The formidable quartet timed 4:17.03 minutes breaking the last year national record of 4:17.79 set by Asian International School last year.

Both Machiko and Kimiko represented in that quartet last year with Salomi Fernando and Andrea Jelinek.