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by LESLIE FERNANDO

The Athletic Association (AA) of Sri Lanka received a big boost with Lanka Cement coming forward with a generous sponsorship offer of one million rupees towards the 81st National Athletic Championships to be staged from July 25 to 27 at the Sugathadasa Stadium.

Sunil Jayaweera, the President of the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka at a press briefing held at the AA Office, Torrington Avenue, Colombo 7 said that AA has been fortunate that this year's event is sponsored by Lanka Cement and Lanka Cement will initiate this program to make payment to athletes in the future. Lanka Cement has taken very meaningful steps towards the positive development of athletics in the country.

Jayaweera thanked Anil Koswatte, Chairman Lanka Cement for the great support he has given.

This is the biggest sponsorship money offered for athletics by a company and it augurs well for our athletes.

The AA boss Jayaweera also announced that with a view of encouraging athletes to perform, cash awards will be presented to the first three places - Rs. 5000, Rs. 3000 and Rs. 2000. Prize money will be for all 35 events to be worked off at the National Championships. Over 1000 athletes will participate.

In addition 27 elite athletes from Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore will also compete. The AA has already received their entries. "We are hopeful that Philippines AA will respond in the next few days," said Jayaweera.

Jayaweera added that in future the AA will sponsor athletes. But they will have to sign an agreement like in cricket. The AA will select and name the athletes who are to receive cash incentives.

Any Sri Lankan athlete who breaks an Asian record, will receive rupees one lakh (Rs. 50,000 from AA and Rs. 50,000 from Lanka Cement) and his/her coach Rs. 20,000 while any athlete who establishes a Sri Lanka record will be paid Rs. 25,000 and his/her coach Rs. 10,000.

Further, any athlete who comes within first 20 of Asian ranking, will be paid a monthly allowance of Rs. 10,000 for a period of one year, provided such athlete is not benefited by a sponsorship.

Jayaweera went on to say that any athlete in the national one pool, not supported by any sponsorship, will be paid Rs. 10,000 per month upto a period of one year while in the case of level two athletes, Rs. 5000 per month. The athletes in the intermediate pool will be paid Rs. 2000 a month and the junior pool Rs. 2000 while district development (Kreeda Diriya) Rs. 500 per month.

Agreement to sign

It was an unanimous decision of the AA that all these payments and conditions will be applicable, provided the athletes and coaches enter into an agreement with AA and abide by the terms and conditions of the code of ethics which will be prepared in the future.

Jayaweera said that the above decisions have been taken with a view to ensure the success of the development programs and "hopefully by year 2005, we will succeed in finding the elite athletes who will take over from the present lot. We look at Asian Games in Doha, Qatar 2006, and Bejing Olympics 2008 as our targets in the development programs," Jayaweera added.

The National Athletic Championships opening ceremony will be on July 25 at 4.00 p.m. Prof. G. L. Peiris, Minister of Enterprise Development, Industrial Policy and Invest Promotion and Constitutional Affairs will be the chief guest while the closing ceremony on July 27 at 7.00 p.m. with Johnston Fernando, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports as chief guest. Anil Koswatta, Chairman, Lanka Cement will be the guest of honour on both days.

The AA Sri Lanka has decided to honour past athletes who have represented Sri Lanka/Ceylon at Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Empire Games and who have held national records for quite some time. They are to be honoured by AA during the National Athletic Championships with trophies (all 35 trophies) engraved with their names and they will be presented from this year onwards.

New challenge trophies to be presented are:

Men: 100 metres - R. E. Kitto challenge trophy, 200 metres - Sunil Gunawardena challenge trophy, 400 metres - W. Wimaladasa challenge trophy, 800 metres - K. P. Sahabandu challenge trophy, 1500 metres - A. S. M. Khan challenge trophy, 5000 metres - L. C. Dias and R. J. K. Karunanande challenge trophy, 10,000 metres - S. L. B. Rosa challenge trophy, 110 metres hurdles - Vijitha Wijayasekera challenge trophy, 400 metres hurdles - P. Julian Grero challenge trophy, 3000 metres Steeplechase - A. Premachandra challenge trophy, High Jump - N. Ethirveerasingham challenge trophy - Pole Vault - M. A. Akbar and A. C. Dep challenge trophy, Long Jump - N. A. Weeratunga challenge trophy, triple jump - G. D. Peiris challenge trophy, Shot Put - H. R. C. D'Silva challenge trophy, Discus throw - Chandra Senanayake challenge trophy, Javelin throw - B. C. D'Silva challenge trophy, 20 km Race walk - R. A. Wimalasena Perera challenge trophy.

Women: 100 metres - K. G. Badra challenge trophy, 200 metres - Nirmala Dissanayake challenge trophy, 400 metres - Dinali de Silva challenge trophy, 800 metres - P. M. Wijenayake challenge trophy, 1500 metres - Shirley Thomas challenge trophy, 5000 metres - June de Kretser challenge trophy, 10,000 metres - Irene Williams challenge trophy, 100 metres hurdles - Lorraine Ratnam challenge trophy, 400 metres hurdles - Selvagowri Vardhakumar challenge trophy, High Jumpe; Nobel Kiel challenge trophy, Long Jump - Shanthi de Abrew challenge trophy, triple jump- Upasriya Samaratunga challenge trophy, Shot Put - Nilmini Alwis challenge trophy, Discus Throw - Shrahi Bongso challenge trophy - Javelin Throw - Princy Balthazar challenge trophy - 20 km Race walk - C. T. Van Geyzel challenge trophy, Pole Vault - W. H. D. Perera challenge trophy.

Left out

In naming various trophies, there seems to be some omissions and the most glaring one is the name of the late Duncan White who remains as the only Sri Lankan athlete to win a silver medal at the London Olympic Games in 1948.

There is also 100 metres specialist Bernard Atwell, P. Don Victor, Ranjit Weerasena - the discus specialist who won the national champion for many years and even Tania Van Heer who went on to represent Australia in the Sydney Olympic Games 2000.

AA hopes to make this National Championships a success with active spectator participation. Entrance on all three days will be free of charge but will be on free tickets issued by Lanka Cement. The sponsors Lanka Cement has agreed to donate handsome prizes to lucky spectators. There will be a draw on the tickets. All ticket holders who wish to be considered for the draw should ensure that the counter foil be deposited in the box at the entrance.

Anil Koswatta, Chairman, Lanka Cement said "The Athletic Association of Sri Lanka was lacking in sponsorship that's why as a Government establishment, we came forward to support the AASL. Lanka Cement will co-ordinate with the athletic development programs. Sports brings together all communities and more support for events such as these will make fruitful gains in many ways."

Lakshman - National coach

This is not a new job for me, I have held the position of the national athletic coach for long period of 15 years and I have produced good results until I left the country to take up appointment as the Brunei Darusalam athletic coach.

I'm back after developing athletics in Brunei in a big way," said Lakshman de Alwis. He said that his first task is to get involved with the rural athletes (from the districts and provinces). Education Department together with the Ministry of Sports and Athletic Association of Sri Lanka already has picked 500 young athletes for training in various events. He said that he is happy that Johnston Fernando, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports has allocated Rupees thirty eight lakhs for the development of junior athletic pool.

These athletes are selected from the performances of the National School Games, Junior National Championship and the Sri Lanka Schools Athletic Championships. The theme is to develop the athletes for high performances from their younger days. The school leavers also will join these pools. Another intermediate pool is also to be set-up.

"I have requested all district, provincial and school coaches to implement program for athletes and also to follow closely the performances of these athletes. I will make every endeavour to develop the coaching standard of the coaches educate them on proper lines," added Lakshman de Alwis.

It should be noted that there are over 10 young high jumpers who go over the bar at a height of 2 metres. These high jumpers are between 17-20 years age and will surely make a mark soon. Given further systematic training, they are bound to go places. The present Asian standard is around 2.15 metres in the high jump event, De Alwis said.

Lakshman de Alwis did not want to reveal his own performances but the writer who worked with him at the Colombo Municipality as Playground Instructors, know his feats. Lakshman was a superb 400 metres runner. He was the national record holder in the 400 metres for a couple of years. He was also the national record holder for 200 metres. He held this record for four years. He represented the country at several international meets here and abroad.

Speaking on the National Athletic Championships, Lakshman de Alwis was very happy that foreign athletes are participating at this event. "Our athletes are bound to improve in their performances, spectator-wise, it is good and as the sponsors will get their mileage," said de Alwis.

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