Swimmers hailed but warning of dark days sounded

by Sajeewa Jayakody

Killer Whale Aquatics (KWA) could go down in history as an organisation that revolutionized swimming in Sri Lanka going by the results at the recently concluded South Asian Games (SAG) when its members accounted for the most number of medals from a total of 39 that included 12 golds and 16 silver won by the swimmers during the meet which concluded in Guwahati, India.

But the creator of Killer Whale Aquatics and the chief mentor of its swimmers, Manoj Abeysinghe, also cautioned that the sacrifice and hard work that laid the foundation could also go up in smoke if the sport falls into the wrong hands as had been the case with several sports in the island. Matthew Abeysinghe, his younger brother Kyle, Ishani Senanayake, Hasanthi Nugawela, Kavindra Nugawela, Ramudi

Samarakoon, Sandu Savindi and Kavin Weerasinghe, all exemplified KWA's motto of "dare to dream big".

Killer Whale contributed eight of the 21 swimmers that made up the Sri Lanka team and seven of them won 19 medals of which seven were gold, eight silver and four bronze. In the process Sri Lanka surpassed a previous highest tally of 33 swimming medals won at the Games in Colombo in 1991.

Two female swimmers Kimiko Raheem, who followed a FINA development programme in Thailand last year and her elder sister Machico who went on to swim at a College in the USA in August that same year after spending five years at Killer Whale, together won 11 medals, five gold and six silver.

After completing a 13-year stint as a coach in the United States of America, Manoj Abeysinghe returned to Sri Lanka in 2010 and the journey of Killer Whale began fulling his life long ambition. His dream was to create an institution that would form the mechanism to elevate

competitive swimming in Sri Lanka to a standard in keeping with international demands.

"There were many people who said we have not reached the standard of the South Asian powerhouse India and until we conquer them we should not look beyond. I think as the results indicate we have pulled abreast of India and with proper planning we can surpass them and look beyond to the whole Asian region," said Abeysinghe at a felicitation ceremony for the swimmers held at the CR and FC clubhouse in Colombo. The SAG also marked a milestone for Sri Lankan swimmers who for the first time since 1991 beat India in the relay event for the gold medal and Matthew Abeysinghe won the highest number of gold medals, seven, by a Sri Lankan at the Games surpassing Julian Bowling's tally of five at the Colombo event.

Kimiko Raheem won five gold medals and one silver and her sister Machiko won five silver medals.

"These two swimmers (Kimiko and Machiko) trained with KWA until May and August last year", said Abeysinghe. "Kimiko went through all our junior programs and progressed to KWA's most advanced Elite group before she went on to train in Thailand under a FINA development program. Machiko was a member of the Elite group for quite a while and left to pursue higher studies in the USA on a swimming scholarship. During their time at KWA they established many Sri Lankan national records and were members of Sri Lankan teams to every international competition since 2012", added Abeysinghe.

Although the sisters were products of KWA, their medals were not counted for the club as they are no longer on its membership.

"Where we go from here is up to all of us. We can with a carefully formulated plan build on what we have accomplished or we can squander it

and let it go down to the dark days that existed prior to 2010", Abeysinghe warned.

"I am sure we all have the courage to select the correct path and continue in the sport we all love today. In order to do this well we need the leadership and the guidance of the Ministry of Sports, Ministry of Education and the National Olympic Committee".