Dedication and commitment essential for swimmers to improve

By Leslie FERNANDO

SWIMMING: Dedication and commitment by swimmers and coaches and support of the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union is greatly required to reach the top at international level. Standards in swimming have somewhat improved although not sufficiently. But this may be due to many reasons. Each sport has its ups and downs and I am sure it will continue improving in all factors, said Ediriweera Galappathi Aracchige Wilson - a former Sri Lanka swimming captain and former national coach in an interview with Sunday Observer.

Wilson who is due to be appointed to the Interim Committee of SLASU by the Sports Minister, Gamini Lokuge is 62 years old, born in Tangalle and was a PTI in the Sri Lanka Army. With over 30 years of coaching experience he has produced the most number of national swimmers. Few names of his charges are: Timothy Speldewinde, Julian Bolling, Jeromy Bolling, Upeksha Silva, Daniel Lee, Nadee Senaratne.

He said that Margaret Patel (nee De Saram) the famous Commonwealth Games swimmer is the best swimmer Sri Lanka has ever had. But among the present lot there are potential and talented swimmers as Mayumi Raheem, Daniel Lee, Andrew Abeysinghe (all training aborad), Heshan Unamboowe, Miniruwani Samarakoon, Mineka Karunaratne to name a few, who have shown tremendous improvement. I am proud that I have produced elite swimmers and they have performed well at national and international level.

Wilson, former Sri Lanka Army and Sri Lanka record holder in the 100 and 200 metres back stroke, said that the swimmers have to improve their technical skills for better results. Despite competing in all events, that too at home, the performances do not look impressive.

For improvement in timings, the swimmers should train hard. There should be time for tapering, recovery time and very important aspect is proper mental ability.

Coached many swimmers

Wilson who had the distinction of coaching the swimmers of Royal, RCUAC, Army, Ladies College, Trinity, Mahamaya College, Kandy added that the controlling body (SLASU) and the coaches should get together and train the swimmers so that they will be able to make their presence felt at international level. The controlling body should organise more swimming clinics and coaching camps to help the swimmers. For example take the other Asian countries like China, Japan, India, these three countries have get demanding standards for swimming.

So SLASU should get involved on promotion of swimming.

Wilson who is the President of Sri Lanka Aquatic Coaches Association (SLACA) and who has accompanied Sri Lanka swimmers on 17 occasions since 1979 as coach for international meets, added that our swimmers don't have enough international exposure.

Our swimmers should be afforded the chance to witness the standard of international swimmers and learn from them. Then gradually the swimmers will improve. If one compares our swimmers with international swimmers, we're way below, said Wilson who has participated at several camps and clinics organised by American Swimming Coaches Association.

Fitness is a 'must'

Fitness is a must for any sport and in swimming one has to pay special attention to fitness, techniques and tactics. Wilson's advice to young swimmers: "Fitness, skills techniques, tactics should be followed. Mental alertness is also equally important."

SLASU together with the Sports Ministry should plan to have permanent residential aquatic training centres in Colombo and the outstations for swimming to improve in the country. If the controlling body and the Ministry combine, the sport is bound to improve. Then the swimmers are benefitted and they will produce results, said Wilson. The Colombo centre should be at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium and the outstation centre at the University of Peradeniya Sports Complex in the Kandy District.

Once I am appointed to the Interim Committee, I will devote my time to assist and help the up-and-coming swimming coaches, Wilson added.

Vijitha Fernando must come in

Answering a question regarding the SLASU administration, and who should be the suitable person to handle important affairs, Wilson didn't waste any time and said that it should be C. Vijitha Fernando, a former President of SLASU who has done a great service for the uplift of aquatic sports in the country. He should be appointed as the Main Advisor. Vijitha was the Secretary of Ceylon Amateur Swimming Association and late Dudley Senanayake President in 1964-1965. Vijitha is a great organiser who did an excellent job in conducting the Asia Pacific Age Group Swimming Championships in Colombo in 1995 with swimmers from 12 nations taking part. He had organised two residential coaches clinics and coaching camps in 1964 - the camp had as its Director Boris M. Kazimiroff (YMCA's American representative in Sri Lanka) and in 1965 clinic Tony Wall, a coach from Western Australia Swimming Association was the Director.

In 2004, Guy Edson, the Technical Director for Clinics and Seminars at the American Swimming Coaches Association, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA was invited by Vijitha and the Residential Swimming Coaches Clinic and Coaching Camp were held at the University of Peradeniya Sports Complex. They were a great success. Vijitha Fernando found Rs. 2.5 million for the project.

Vijitha who is a generous benefactor and the most knowledgeable person on aquatic sports, is be the correct choice to head the Advisory Committee of SLASU!