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They speak the same 'spike language'

Chandrasiri speaks of life with athlete Sriyani Kulawansa:

He didn't have a pair of Spikes for the meet, and was to run bare feet. My parents didn't have money to buy a pair of shoes for me," recalls Chandrasiri. It was 1983. Chandrasiri too went to Anuradhapura to take part in the All Island School Games. He had the 1500m running event on the first day.

The muddy running track was not that better than his village footpaths which he treads on quite often for his practices along with his friends. The 1500m event just began. Suddenly Chandrasiri felt his foot trampled by the other runner. The thorn like spikes of his shoes pierced into Chandrasiri's bare foot.

The pain was immense. But, the courage which never lacked in his soul backed him up. He won the event. After having a stitch on his 'spike torn wound' Chandrasiri was bold enough to face the second game; the 3000m running track event which was held on the following day. "I had to run with a stitch on my foot. We had to finish nearly eight rounds and in the mid of the game the bandage that was around my wound loosened.

However I could only get the second place," he says flashing a smile. Mukundadura Chandrasiri Fonseka and Sriyani Kulawansa a veteran pair of Sri Lanka athletics today enjoying a break from athletics after many years of service to the country. Finding time amidst his 'still busy' schedules Chandrasiri opens up on the life story of his and Sriyani, his beloved wife for the 'Spouse's Mouth'.

Chandrasiri won his first National record in 800m running event in 1991. It was a superb victory for a 'small young man' like him who came from a poor family background at Kalutara. "I was born on November 11 in 1962 in the Kalutara District.

My father, M. Gunapala Fonseka was a toddy businessman. My mother, Nandawathi has been a housewife. I'm the eldest to two brothers and two sisters. I studied at Amarasekara Vidyalaya first, and then entered Kalutara Maha Vidyalaya," he recalls.

Students like Chandrasiri rarely got encouragement from, both from his family nor even from the school. His parents never let them sleep in starvation, but had no idea to back him up to climb the ladder in his talents.

His skills were recognised at school levels, but there wasn't any special body to assist them either. He knew that. A gang of his friends who also had the same urge for athletics were around him. "We never missed a single Sinhala New Year Festival games in the area. We would take part in every possible event and used to win almost all the prizes," he recollects.

Chandrasiri didn't have a coach though he was winning running events one after the other, and then became a National champion. One day, he saw a coach at the Kalutara Municipality Grounds and got inquisitive. "Would he charge a lot?." Though this drew him back a bit he walked up to the coach.

It was Dunstan Fernando who blew his sports whistle for any talented youngster who would be willing to dedicate himself or herself for running events. "He never charged a fee from anyone of us. It was free, and through that help I got the chance to sharpen my talents," he acknowledges.

Chandrasiri was selected to the National Athletic Pool and got the opportunity to develop his talents more.

Simultaneously he joined the Sri Lanka Air Force as a Lance Corporal in 1985. "I was clearing my path on my own. When I look back I feel really happy about it," he smiles. Chandrasiri took part in 800m running track at the Asian championship held in Malaysia in 1990, South Asian Games held at Islamabad in 1989 and South Asian Games held in Colombo in 1991.

Mohotti Arachchige Sriyani Kulawanse was born on March 01 in 1970, to M.A. Piyaratne who worked as a driver at the Ministry of Life Stock Development and Baby Nona at Ragedara, Malsiripura in Kurunegala District. Sriyani was the fourth of the five in her family. She studied first at Udakandawela Junior School and then entered Ibbagamuwa Maha Vidyalaya.

"Like me she too had faced many difficulties in life. But she too has never been pessimistic over life," says Chandrasiri. Sriyani hit the sports history in Sri Lanka by being winning championships.

She was the Best School Athlete by becoming the best payer in Netball, Volleyball and Athletics in 1987. In 1989, she got qualified to three categories; Netball, Athletics and Volleyball. Since she was asked to select one field, she decided to go ahead with athletics.

At the National Sports Festival from 1988 to 2004, Sriyani was Sri Lanka's Best Athletic Trophy holder for 10 times. Apart from that she got the trophy for Hurdles 15 times and the trophy for high jump 16 times.

Her best performance was in the 100m Hurdles event at the Commonwealth Games held in Kualalumpur in 1998 in which she won a Silver Medal. In the same event Duncan White won a Gold Medal in 1948. Sriyani was the semifinalist at the World Championship held in Sevilla in 1999.

At the Olympic Games held in Atlanta she recorded her best personal timing with 12.91 seconds in Hurdles. This still remains as her Sri Lanka record. She also holds the best Hurdle timing at the SAF Games (held in Nepal in 1999) with 13.12 seconds.

In 1998, when Sriyani returned home with her Commonwealth Silver Medal, at a newspaper interview she was asked what she hoped to ask from the Government. "My family and my village people could not see me winning as they don't have TV since we haven't got electricity yet.

If the Government can provide my village with electricity that would be the greatest reward," was her answer. No sooner, Anuruddha Ratwatte, Minister of Power and Energy at that time quickly worked out her request and her village Ragedara got lit within a month time.

"Sriyani too went for the opening. I still remember how old ladies worshipped her for giving them electricity to the village," says Chandrasiri.

Question: How did you meet Sriyani?

Chandrasiri: We were both in the same National Athletic Pool. We both were from a similar background, so thought we could be a matching couple. Before that we led extremely arduous life style, living in many boarding places in Colombo. Finally we decided to get married so that we could see an end to the many problems we faced in life. We got married on March 21 in 1996. First we stayed at Soysapura Flats and then built this place at Palawatta.

I'm a teetotaller. We have never wasted what we earned. That helped us a great deal in building our lives together.

Question: When did Sriyani bid farewell to sports?

Chandrasiri: None of us would say 'goodbye' to sports as that has been our 'first love' and 'life'. We just retired from National level games. She retired in 2004. She first worked as a PT Instructor at Ibbagamuwa Maha Vidyalaya in 1990-1991, and then joined the Hatton National Bank in 1992.

She was a banker until she got our daughter, Ranuthi on January 21, 2005. I have been the Sports officer at S.Thomas College since 1997, and simultaneously doing private coaching at Buddhadasa Grounds, Wellawatta. Sriyani works as the coach at Holy Family Convent, Colombo and Musaeus College, Colombo.

Question: How do you see her as a wife?

Chandrasiri: A very courageous woman. She has no time for injustice, and would fight against it in any such situation.

It's really good and I appreciate it, but sometimes it has been a drawn back in her life as well.

Question: Both of you have emerged from village sports pools. What difference do you see between village children and those in the city?

Chandrasiri: There are many talented children in the city. But unlike what we did when we were young, we rarely see that much of dedication in these children. They rarely have any ambition to go to the international level.