South Asian Games:

Mathew Abeysinghe strikes triple gold

Record breaking Sri Lankan swimming prodigy Mathew Abeysinghe showed his class in no uncertain terms as he bagged three gold medals and promised more on the first day of the South Asian Games in Assam, India yesterday.

Earlier weight lifter Sudesh Peiris struck gold as Sri Lanka finished with four gold medals, ten silvers and seven bronze.

Abeysinghe in the course of his feat established two South Asian Games records in the 200m freestyle (01:52.28 seconds) and in the 100m butterfly stroke (55.42 seconds).

Abeysinghe, his brother Kyle, Cherantha de Silva and Shehan de Silva produced a third swimming gold medal of the day in the 4x100m men’s relay with a timing of 03.30.11 secs.

“This achievement is the result of all the hard work and commitment I have put in for years. Now I can hope to win Gold in the rest of the events too”, said Mathew Abeysinghe.

His elder brother Andrew also won gold at the 2006 SA Games and they all train under their doting father Manoj Abeysinghe. Sudesh Pieris the Commonwealth Games Silver medalist competing in the 115kgs in the snatch and 150kgs in the Clean and Jerk lifted a total of 265kgs to win the Gold medal ahead of Nepal’s Bikash Thapa and Bangladesh’s Mostain Bella.

Another Sri Lankan swimmer Machiko Raheem led for 150 metres in the 200 metres women’s freestyle but lost to Indian Shinati Kataria.

Raheem won a bronze medal in the 200m freestyle women finals.

The women’s 4x100m freestyle relay quartet was beaten by India and had to settle for the Silver medal.

Hiruni Perera (100m Butterfly) and Hasanthi Nugawela (200m Breaststroke) won Silver medals in while Machiko Raheem (100m Butterfly) Cherantha de Silva (100m Butterfly -Men) and Ishani Senanayake (200m Freestyle) won Bronze medals.