Veteran racing cyclist Anthony Symons felicitated

CYCLING: Fifty years in racing cycling - this is the proud achievement of racing cyclist Anthony Symons on September 6 in Ratnapura. It’s really a fine achievement for this cyclist who has cycled in active competition from 1958 to 2008.

Fifty is no doubt a round number and to celebrate the occasion some of Ratnapura’s sporting guests in collaboration with Sabaragamuwa cycling championships both men and women under the auspices of the District Cycling Federation, Ratnapura conducted a race. Never say die being the middle name, Anthony Symons participated in the race and was placed fourth. Wedikkarage Gunasinghe came first, Wedikkarage Abeysinghe was second and A. M. Sumanaweera came third. Symons was awarded a special prize.

He was an active participant in cycling races from 1958 to 1996 and was also a former winner of the “Tour de Lanka” and he has to his credit having participated in the “Tour” on 15 occasions, which is considered a record for having the perseverance to compete in such a gruesome event.

He has won most of the cycling classics held in Jaffna, Trincomalee, Nuwara Eliya, Batticaloa, Kandy, Nikaweratiya, Ratnapura and Kegalle.

Symons - a student of St. Aloysius College, Ratnapura, joined the Paragon Peddelars in 1958 and became Paragon Champion of the year in 1960 and then followed a host of victories.

He joined the Sri Lanka Army and went on to captain the Army cycling team and won many important events and was awarded Army Colours in 1978. He had the honour of participating at many cycling events abroad. In 1962, he participated in the First International “Cycle Week” in Holland and made official visits to France and Belgium. He was quite an accepted person in cycling and was even called on to deliver a speech in English “Cycling as a sport in Sri Lanka” to the audience gathered in the “Rai” International Congress Hall in Amsterdam. Then in 1985, Anthony won the All-Oman Cycling Classic at the age of 45 held in connection with the National Day of Oman while serving in Oman’s Defence Service in the British Army.

1996: Participated in the annual St. Georges Cycling Classic in New York and was placed 12th in the over 50 age category among 62 competitors.

There were competitors from 50 states in USA and Canada who participated in the event.

2001: Participated in the New York Tour and placed 12th in the team event (within 20). According to statistics, there were around 34,000 competitors who participated in this annual race from all states.

1999 to 2001: Was National Coach and member of the selection committee and was instrumental in coaching the Sri Lanka team to victory in the 11 days “International Pakistan Tour.”

Anthony Symons is 65 years old, but that word “old” does not seem to bother him one bit.

He is still on the “saddle” and coaching the youngsters. He is a Founder Member of the District Cycling Association of Ratnapura. In 2005 he was awarded the “Sabaragamuwa Washabimani Kreeda-Keerthi Sri” award for bringing honour to Ratnapura. Plans for the future? “Well, I hope to participate in the “Masters Class” event at the World Cycling Championships to be held in Italy at the end of this year and this I am hoping to do through Staten Island Cycling Association in New York in the USA and he is looking out for sponsors.