Heshan Unamboowe seven wins with six records

by Leslie Fernando

Best among the girls... Miniruwani Samarakoon of Gateway International, Kandy got two records and was picked as the Best Performer among the girls.

The star of the meet.... Heshan Unamboowe of Trinity College secured seven wins with records in six events at the National Short Course Swimming Championships at Mahamaya swimming pool in Kandy. He was picked as the best swimmer among the men.

SWIMMING: National swimmer Heshan Unamboowe of Trinity College created history, setting six new National records and winning the seventh event at the National Short Course Swimming Championships concluded on Tuesday, April 10 at the Mahamaya College swimming pool, Kandy.

For his grand performances he was selected the best men's swimmer. Meanwhile another swimmer from Kandy Miniruwani Samarakoon of Gateway International School established two new meet records and she was picked the best among the women at the meet. Heshan who returned from Australia last week after representing Sri Lanka at the World Swimming championships, proved his class with some superb performances.

He established new records in the 200 metres Individual Medley 1.19.34. secs, 50 metres Back Stroke 28.62 secs, 100 metres Back Stroke 1.01.57 secs, 200 metres Free Style 2.01.71 secs, 100 metres Free Style 55.71 secs, 200 metres Back stroke 2.13.78 secs. Heshan came in first in the 400 metres Free Style 4.18.72 secs. for his seventh win.

Heshan who has represented Sri Lanka at Asia Pacific Swimming Championships and brought honour to the country, winning two gold medals in 2005 and winning three silver medals at the 10th South Asian Games held in Colombo has 58 new records to his credit.

Miniruwani who also has won laurels for Sri Lanka at Asia Pacific Swimming meets and SAF Games and South Asian Games, winning gold and silver medals, established two national records in her pet events 100 metres Butterfly Stroke 1.10.90 secs and 200 metres Butterfly Stroke 2.38.84 secs. In the overall championships, Trinity College and Mahamaya College, Kandy retained the boys and girls overall championships, titles.

Among the boys, Trinity Collected 334 points to take the top spot. St. Joseph's College were second with 281 points, Royal College third with 122 points.

Mahamaya College, with 238 points came on top in the girls overall while Hillwood College, Kandy second with 209 points and Gateway International School Kandy third with 136 points.