Lincoln Wijeyesinghe, the first Kodokan Judo black belt holder in Sri Lanka
In commemoration of his 15th year death anniversary, which fell on February 12, 2024, below is a concise summary of a great son of our motherland, the late Lincoln Wijeyesinghe, Sri Lanka’s first judoka to get training and achieve a black belt in Kodokan Judo Training Institute in Japan and who did tremendous service to the development of judo in Sri Lanka with enormous passion.
During his school days at St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya, Lincoln’s interests were in to swimming, boxing, football, rugby and scouting. While enjoying and excelling in sports, he scored high marks in his school exams due to his avid reading habit. After completing studies at St. Peter’s, he commenced studying for his Civil Engineering exams and started acquiring required practical work experience in Ceylon government sector, public works department, where he got exposed to construction of railways, bridges, roads and buildings.
During the same time, he commenced practicing his new sport judo in central YMCA Fort in the latter part of 1940s and he was trained under 10 Japanese judo sensei’s for over a period of 11 years. However his hunger for advanced training and knowledge for judo was never ending. To get first hand training, knowledge and exposure, he decided to visit Japan in the latter part of 1965 at his own expense and to master advanced skills in judo at the Kodokan Judo Institute in Japan, which is the world’s headquarters for judo. Judo was originated and invented by the late Dr. Jigoro Kano, who was the founder of Kodokan Judo Training and Research Institute in Japan, after many years of travelling, practicing and research into many other martial arts and fighting techniques in the world, he invented a civilised combat sport judo for the modern and developed world.
As per Lincoln’s old judo records and archives, there he went through extensive and rigorous training under late sensei Kotani, ninth Dan judo, who was a star pupil of late Dr. Kano and he was also trained under sensei Saito Sar, ninth Dan judo. He went through training for four hours a day, every day, for one year. The Kodokan high ranking Judo senseis were happy only when pupils practiced each movement thousand times minimum, to perfect each movement such as, falling, grabbing, holding, throwing and locking.
After completing rigorous fulltime training in Kodokan for one year, he had the honour of bringing the first judo black belt to Ceylon from Kodokan Judo institute, Japan in 1966. Also he brought fist hand knowledge, experience and skills to upgrade our Ceylonese judokas’ knowledge and standards in judo.
After returning to Ceylon, he served as the national coach for judo in Ceylon from 1966 to 1975 and then as the Secretary from 1966 to 1972. He succeeded as the President of Sri Lanka Judo Association in 1972, after late Dr. Paul Edward Peiris Deraniyagala (Director, National Museum of Ceylon, historian, archeologist, anthropologist and zoologist) decided to retire. Lincoln served as the President passionately contributing to the sport till he decided to retire in 1976 and during his regime he invited Japanese judo coaches like Sensie Yodha, Kanamaru, Takada to train and coach pupils here in Sri Lanka.
For the first time, training syllabus was drafted, systematic judo training programmes were held and regular grading sessions commenced under his supervision. He started visiting, training and coaching in many outstation locations in Sri Lanka at his own expense to promote judo, including Police Training School at Kalutara, Teachers’ Training School in Maharagama, YMBA Dehiwela and YMBA Fort, to name a few.
In 1974 Lincoln invited the then Inspector General of Police Department Ceylon, Stanley Senanayake to witness a special judo demonstration by a Japanese
police coach, Sensei Yodha (Japan Police Department Judo coach) techniques useful for the police force and this demonstration resulted in the introduction of judo to the Police Department of Ceylon, then Police Sports Club was affiliated to the Judo Association. Then judo became compulsory training for new recruits at police department. During his regime, Lincoln arranged the first Japanese Ambassador’s Trophy Judo Meet in 1976. By 1977 he was a well-seasoned and matured judo coach and a highly skilled judoka.
As a result after careful consideration the second Dan black belt grade was awarded to him by the Kodokan Japan for the first time to a Sri Lankan. This was mainly due to his enhanced judo skills that was on peak and extraordinary commitment and genuine desire and passion for the development and popularising of judo in Sri Lanka. With Lincoln’s retirement in 1977, the presidency was handed over to another seasoned judoka, Justice G.L.M. de Silva, who later became a high court judge.
Until his demise in 2009, Lincoln didn’t miss any of the Japanese Ambassador’ Trophy Judo Tournaments held in Sri Lanka annually, for which he was invited by Judo Association officials. Due to his dedication and service to Judo, the ‘Lincoln Wijeyesinghe Memorial Challenge Trophy’ was held by the Judo Association. In recognition of his yeoman service to this great sport, his photograph is placed next to late Dr. P.E.P. Deraniyagala’s photograph at the Sri Lanka Judo Association Dojo, along with rest of past presidents.
By profession Lincoln was a Civil Engineer in the Government Service at Public Works Department, Buildings Department and Civil Aviation. Later part of his career, he was working as the District Engineer in Ratnapura and then in Kalutara districts. After retirement he designed and invented a manual cinnamon peeling machine which he won the presidential award in year 2002 under inventions category and obtained patent rights for same. For his dedicated contribution and services rendered to humanitarian and charity work in Sri Lanka, he was awarded with the Melvin John’s Fellowship (MJF) International Award by International Lions Club in 1994. Coming from a respectable family with five older brothers and two older sisters, who excelled in varied sports disciplines, three of his older brothers, late Hector, Solomen and Kamal, established Ceylon and Indo-Ceylon records in bodybuilding, weightlifting and swimming in 1930s to 1950s. Training sessions happened at the well equipped gym at home in Dehiwala from 1930s till 1950s with barbells, dumbells, wooden benches, cable pulleys, rowing springs, punching bags, climbing ropes, iron balls and wrestling pits.
Lincoln passed away on February 12 of 2009, at the age of 78 in his Dehiwela Hill Street residence, leaving his wife Saroja, two sons Subodha and Jayendra. His legacy will continue as a great son of mother Lanka forever.