SANGEETH DREAMS SURIYAGE OF BUILDING ACADEMY FOR YOUNG RIDERS
Sri Lanka’s Motor Racing star Sangeeth Suriyage wants to give back to the sport by starting an academy for youngsters to develop future champions. “It is time I share my experience in Motor Sport to youngsters who crave to be future champions. My dream is to start an academy for motor cycle sport,” said the 26-yearold who is the undisputed four-time National champion in Super Motor racing in Sri Lanka.
A product of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo, Sangeeth was neither an academic nor a sports star at school though he was a member of the basketball team who became National School champions in 2011. But he had a passion for racing.
“My career in motor sports happened by coincidence and because it was my childhood dream. At seven I got my first MTB Bicycle and raced at the Colombo Super Cross in the year 2000 and was furious with my dad for giving me an oversized adult bike. The only reason I finished the race is because I had no way of grounding my feet as my bike was taller than me. That was the first lesson I learned in my life, ‘Reach what you cannot for you to achieve greater heights in life.’ Taking a leaf from his businessman dad, Sangeeth got into business at the age of 17, whilst doing a bit of go karting as a hobby and street racing with a modified challey (mini version motor bike). The craze for motor racing really started at 16 when he entered Formula Car Racing at Pannala track.
It was a year full of mishaps and although the podium was within sight, because of his lack of focus he always ended up in accidents. It was not like this until he raced at the First Night Race in the Formula Elite category that he re-focussed after losing control, Sangeeth met with a major accident while battling for the third place in the race which ended Sangeeth’s foray in Formula Car racing.
However, you cannot keep a champion like him out of the radar for long. He chose the deadliest out of all sports, Motor Cycle Racing,
My ambition is to start a motorcycle academy with new young riders and educate them that racing is all about self challenge,” he told the Daily Mirror in an interview
A product of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo, Sangeeth was neither an academic nor a sports star at school though he was a member of the basketball team who became National School champions in 2011. But he had a passion for racing
and purchased an old bike a 250cc Honda and modified and took part in many events but still failed to win. But the young man kept on trying until finally he met Ned Daniel who saw Sangeeth’s capacity and got him down to train and ride with him, and in no time got his first podium win at the Nuwara Eliya Road Race in 2015. There onwards he was unstoppable and during the last three years, Sangeeth has won 99% of the races, and is the Open Class Super Motor National Champion.
However, Sangeeth is a worried about the future of motor racing in Sri Lanka, because he suggests that it is a dying sport due to politics. Riders are getting de-motivated although new clubs like ‘Hellibees’ under the stewardship of Murad Ismail is supportive to bring new talent to the sport but due to lack of unity and mismanagement, it has created a void in participation.
Sangeeth has taken the responsibility as a senior rider of training young new riders.
“My ambition is to start a motorcycle academy with new young riders and educate them that racing is all about self challenge,” he told the Daily Mirror in an interview. With the blessing of the Ministry of Sports, and as a young businessman Sangeeth has specialized in high end bikes and started a super store at Kotte with a state-of-the-art workshop for Motorcycles.
Sangeeth has not only excelled in Sri Lanka but went on to participate in Britain and Asian circuits where he was placed 5th and 8th respectively.
He is still looking forward to bring a medal to his country at the next Elite Open class Asian Circuit Races which is proposed to be organised in Singapore and Malaysia. The message Sangeeth wants to give budding riders is “Fear not, if you have the will, you will have a way to win for sure.”