Navy champs at Swimming Nationals with 331 points

by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen, Kandy sports Corr.

Sri Lanka Navy's swimming team won the National Swimming championship 2014 organised by the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) and worked off at the Sugathadasa Stadium Swimming Complex in Colombo.

This was the major long course swimming championship and earlier this year Sri Lanka Navy team won the Short Course Swimming Championship to complete the double of winning both major championships.

Sri Lanka Navy swimming team collected a huge 331 points and had staggering 182 point lead over the runners-up Royal College team which had 149 points and in third place was Killer Whale Aquatic club with 133 points.

Playing a major role and stealing the limelight was the Trinity-Royal combination of Shehan de Silva and Kanitha Munasinghe. Both captains their respective schools. Shehan de Silva Trinity College and Kanitha Munasinghe - Royal College.

Shehan de Silva - a premising national swimmer won 1 gold, 2 silvers and 2 bronze. Shehan de Silva's Scoured first place in 100 metres Individual Medal, second place in 200 metres butterfly and 200 metres free style and their place in 100 metres free style and 50 metres free style.

Kanitha Munasinghe won two golds and 1 silver. He was placed first in 50 metres Breast Stroke and 100 metres Breast Strokes and second place 50 metres Butterfly Stroke.

The Sailors also established three relay records and the record breakers of the relay team were Shehan de Silva, S.P.V. Dias, K.A.D.K.I. Munasinghe and R.D.R.C. Jayaratne.

The first record to go was in the 4X50 metres relay when they timed 1.40.04 minutes to lower the old record of 1.39.86 minutes.

The second record to be lowered was in the 4X100 metres Free Style relay 3.44.75 minutes which bettered the old record of 3.39.86 minutes.

The third relay record to be smashed was in the 4X50 metres Medley relay when they clocked 1.51.32 minutes to eclipse the old record of 1.51.32 minutes. The Navy also won two other relay events in 4X100 metres Medley Relay and 4X200 metres Free Style in which the sailors had one change in their team K.A.S.M. Rupasinghe replacing R.D.R.C. Jayaratne.

The others to sparkle for the Navy team was S.P.V. Dias second place in 400 metres Individual Medley and third place in 200 metres Individual Medley. K.A.S.M. Rupasinghe third place in 1500 metres Free Style. K.P. Manawadu third place in 50 metres Butterfly Stroke.

The Navy swimming team was coached by legendary swimmer Julian Bolling with Shan Dias as Assistant coach, C.P.O.B.A. Kulaweera was in charge of the team.