Central Province gets rupees 10 million cash awards

Cash awards totaling ten million rupees were presented to 134 sportsman and women of the Central Province for bringing Gold, Silver and Bronze medals to Central Province at the 43rd National Sports festival, at a glittering ceremony held at Kandyan Grand Hotel, Kandy.

The Governor of the Central Province Ms. Niluka Ekanayake was the Chief Guest.

The Provincial Sports Minister Thilini Tennakoon said that there were no funds to conduct this event, in order to give the sportsman of the Central Province an impetus to continue in their sporting career. But, he would not stop at that and he said he was able to find the resources for this felicitation ceremony. Today it is a reality, he added. Anyone coming after him would have to better this event, he added.

The first Director of the Sports department S. A. Wijewickrema of the Central Province was also felicitated for his expertise in the field of Weight lifting and Physical training.

Swimming Gold Medalist C. R. Yogaratnam of St. Anthony's College, Katugastota who brought a ' Gold’ was given a cash award of Rs 157500; He had commenced his swimming from Trinity College ' Baby' pool and continued, though he was a student of St. Anthony's College.

The event was organized by the Director of Sports Jamathi Keerthi of the Provincial Council Sports Department.