A star studded career

Sprint queen Damayanthi Darsha speaks of life with Eranda:

Medals and trophies stand in a corner
PT tracks and sneakers
are having a rest at last...
A rack of baby clothes - tiny nappies and frocks
swaying in the breeze, which also carries
the sweet smell of baby cologne across the place.
A cry of a baby that blends with her 'milky' smell
gives evidence of someone's motherhood...
See, how she's enjoying all this,
'Ampara Express' is relishing a break from sprints...
Coz she has become a mother
of a cute baby girl
the best trophy or the medal
she has ever got throughout her life...

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Damayanthi Darsha alias 'Ampara Express' bid fare well to one episode of her life, athletics. It was almost a year since she decided to retire from active sports. How is she?

Her fans would like to know the latest news of Darsha. Her newly built house at Battaramulla was once filled only with trophies and medals.

The rack filled with nappies and tiny pink frocks, and the baby smell that spread all over gave evidence that Darsha has become a mom.... While she was busy attending to her one month old baby daughter, her hubby Eranda welcomed us. "Darsha would render her assistance in many other ways in the sports field as possibly as she could," Eranda opens the discussion.

Sixteen years in sports marks her athletic history in Sri Lanka. Darsha came to the field when she was about 14-15 years winning school level trophies, and proceeded to international level bringing fame and honour to Sri Lanka.

One cannot continue sports for a very long time as strength and energy is decided by age as well. Darsha also had a slight ailment in her knee and ankle from time to time. "But she could have continued. She is a person who wants to give her best to what she does.

Even during the time when she was afflicted with limb ailments, and happened to be at an event abroad she never failed to 'run'. She knew she would lose, but self boycotting was something that she hated. She always tried to do the best she could do," explains Eranda. "Sports was her life.

And I was part of it too, as I considered it was my duty. We were married for four and half years, and after sometime, more than me it was she who wanted to start a family soon. All these reasons made her to quit," explains Eranda.

Darsha, in many of her interviews she had gave a lot of credit to her mom for being the wind behind her through out her life. And after her marriage, her hubby, Eranda Heshan Siriwardhana no doubt has been part and parcel of her life.

Eranda was born on February 28 (he refrained from revealing the year) to Gratien Sririwardhana, a post master and Rupa Siriwardhana, a teacher as the youngest to a sister. "We are from Badulla. I first went to Meegaha Kivula Junior School up to grade 5 and then entered the Central College, Badulla," says Eranda.

Though he didn't pursue sports as well, like his wife, Eranda earned a name for sports during his school days. Volleyball, the National game of Sri Lanka was his forte and he took part in the all island running events in 200m and so on. "Cricket was my favourite," he butts in.

Of course, it's extremely rare to find a Sri Lankan boy who has not played cricket even with his neighbours.. "I was quite boisterous when I was small. Once when I was about 14 years we were playing cricket at the school play ground we lost the tennis ball.

My friend and I decided to get one. But on our way we met with an accident. I fell down on my face and my teeth dislodged from my gums. It was horrible. The biggest misfortune I've ever had.

My parents were very upset, and I had to be treated for about one year to get my teeth back to its proper place in the gums," he laughs. Eranda's cute smile no doubt has enthraled Darsha, out of all her fans and admirers.

Question: How did you first meet Darsha?

Eranda: A bit of a long story. After sitting for A/Ls in the Commerce stream I came to Colombo to stay with my elder sister who was then married to Harijan Ratnayaka, the 400m Hurdle... record breaker of Sri Lanka in 1994-2003. I started following an IT course and an English Diploma. It was somewhere in 1999-2000.

My sister was working at the Ministry of Public Administration which was at Torrington. And simultaneously my brother-in-law was either practicing or coaching athletes at the Torrington Grounds. When I had free time, the only thing I did was to be at the grounds watching them practising. Not merely Darsha, but almost everybody who was in track events became my friends. Darsha and I were good friends for a long time.

Eranda after following the particular courses decided to start a small motor spare parts business in 2003. Darsha and many of his other track field pals started phoning him to get his advice over spare parts for their vehicles. Darsha was also among them. "We were just friends and later became lovers," he laughs.

"It just happened," he emphasises. Komala Vithanage Damayanthi Darsha was born in Panadura, her mother's home town. But when she was about 4-5 years, her whole family went to stay at Ampara as her father found work there. There she started her sports skills. And that's how Darsha was named 'Ampara Express'. Her father, K. V. Ananda was a heavy vehicle driver and her mother Shriyalatha was the unshaken pillar of Darsha success and her younger sister and younger brother.

Darsha came back to Panadura and entered Panadura Balika Vidyalaya in which she started shinning as a sports star. Her PT teacher Mrs. Sangha Jayasekara was the first to recognise Darsha's inborn talent for sports.

"Mr. Sunil Gunewardhane was Dharsha's coach ever since she stepped into the field until she bid farewell. Former Minister, S. B. Dissanayaka gave his heart and soul for sports when he was the Sports Minister and introduced the method for sportsmen and women to continue their sports activities while attending to their job.

It's a sort of sponsorship for them as then they do get a lot of free time to pursue their sports career while getting a monthly salary. It's a great help also when they retire from sports.

They have a path to pursue without any hinderance," says Eranda. Darsha was first attached to Yashoda Enterprises and then joined PanAsia. At present she is the Human Resources Executive of Unischela of Mass Holdings. "We should give the credit line to Dian Gomez, Managing Director of Mass Holdings for giving a helping hand to many sportsmen and women in Sri Lanka," claims Eranda.

Ladies College, Colombo was seeking students good in sports during that time opened its doors to Darsha when she was in grade 9 in 1990. And this was a great help for Darsha as she could attend to her practices easily.

Ladies College rendered a great support for her by letting her going for practices in time. She was excused from the first two periods of the Time Table and was given leave for her meets. Darsha was just 16 years when she won her first new record in 100 m gaining the Gold Medal at 1st SAF Games in 1991. In the same year she won the Asian Junior Championship in 100m.

To date her records in SAF Games in 100m, 200m and 400m, and in Asian Games in 200m and 400m have not been broken. She created history as the only Sri Lankan athlete who took part in the highest number of National as well as International level sports events. Her own records were broken and re-recorded continuously more than 60 times through out her life with sports.

Question: Is that all about her career? Would like to know a bit about her personal life as well?

Eranda: Darsha is extremely courageous woman. She rarely gets upset. Also she is very punctual and would finish a job then and there. I have never seen her postponing her work to another day. She never grumbles of tiredness or laziness, and is energetic and active, like a queen bee.

Question: How is life with a sportswoman?

Eranda: Great! But, it's full of sacrifices. People see an athlete only when she or he is on the track. But a few know the sweat and tears they shed to gain that energy and speed. If one neglects one day practice that pushes him/her backward for a week. It's a matter of constant practice. You have to away from everything.

Darsha couldn't even attend her grand mother's funeral as she had a meet on that day. So simultaneously the athlete cannot pursue a full time married life along with his/her full time career.

Being their spouses we have to understand this situation otherwise we won't be able to sustain a good marriage. We got married on June 28 in 2003. It was a small function with only 30-40 guests. The relatives on both sides were invited.

Both of us love entertainment. But do not like big functions. We thought on the one hand it was a waste of money, and on the other hand we had so many to invite. So, we decided to have a simple wedding on a very low key.

But, whenever we get a chance we throw small get-togethers with our friends, and would relax playing a bit of music and singing songs. Darsha's farewell function held last year was grand, as we invited everybody connected in her sports life. It was memorable.

Question: The best quality you see in her?

Eranda: She never gets angry! She's as cool as a cucumber.

Question: Your future hopes and ambitions?

Eranda: Our daughter, Esandi Mihansa is our biggest hope. And to lead a peaceful and contented married life.