Visakha Vidyalaya and Killer Whale Aquatics emerge Women’s and Men’s Champions
Among the noteworthy performances was Visakha Vidyalaya’s Ramudi Samarakoon (13) who set a new record of 36.56 breaking her previous time of 37.46 in the women’s 50 Metre Breaststroke. Samarakoon also set a new record in the women’s 100 - Metre Breaststroke with a new time of 1:19.64 breaking the previous record of 1:21.18.
The annual National and Junior National Swimming Championships 2015 organised by the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) was held from October 29 to November 1 at the Sugathadasa Swimming Pool Complex. The Championships saw the participation of 300 swimmers which included 55 schools and clubs of which the Senior Women’s and Men’s Champions were Visakha Vidyalaya (268 points) and Killer Whale Aquatics (413 points). This year’s women’s Junior National Champions were Mahamaya College, Kandy (213.50 points) while the men’s Junior National Champions were St Joseph’s College, Colombo (151.50 points). Among the individual champions this year were KM N Naveesha Karunanayaka (14) with 24 points and two records to her name and Pahan De Silva (14 years) with 21 points representing D S Senanayake College – they were the women’s and men’s Junior National champions, respectively. Young Karunanayake set a new record of 1:04.62 in the Girls 100 Metre Freestyle breaking the previous record of 1:04.84.
Sri Lanka Army’s I E Senanayake (20) and Mathew Abeysinghe (19) of Killer Whale Aquatics who scored 20 and 27 points, respectively were the Senior women’s and men’s champions. Abeysinghe won the overall men’s individual championship winning all his events and establishing a new national record in the 200- Metre Individual Medley event.
Among the noteworthy performances was Visakha Vidyalaya’s Ramudi Samarakoon (13) who set a new record of 36.56 breaking her previous time of 37.46 in the women’s 50 Metre Breaststroke. Samarakoon also set a new record in the women’s 100 - Metre Breaststroke with a new time of 1:19.64 breaking the previous record of 1:21.18.
Devindya Jayawardane (14) of Mahamaya College, Kandy was also among the record breakers this year with a new record of 32.67 in the women’s 50 - Metre Breaststroke event breaking her own previous time of 33.08 earlier in the year.
KD K J Munasinghe (20) representing the Sri Lanka Navy team also set a new meet record (30.71) breaking his previous record (30.72) in the men’s 50-Metre Breaststroke event.
Killer Whale Aquatics (Kwa)set a list of new meet records this year which included, the men’s 400-Metre Medley Relay, 800-Metre Freestyle Relay, 200-Metre Freestyle Relay, 200-Metre Freestyle Relay, 400-Metre Freestyle Relay and the 200-Metre Medley Relay.
The Abeysinghe brothers Andrew (24), Kyle (15) and Mathew (19) along with Kaveen Weerasinghe (16) set a new record in the 400 Metre Medley Relay with a new time of 4:02.36 breaking the previous record (4:09.09) set by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in 2013.
The next event conquered by KWA’S Kyle Abeysinghe, Kaveen Weerasinghe, Kavindra Nugawela (16) and Mathew Abeysinghe was the men’s 800-Metre Freestyle Relay where they set a new record of 8:01.74, breaking the club’s previous record (8:19.03), which was set two years ago.
The Abeysinghe brothers Dillon (18), Mathew, Kyle and Kavindra Nugawela also set a new record in the men’s 200metre Freestyle Relay with a meet record of 1:37.23 breaking the previous record set by SLN last year (1:39.90).
The men’s 400-Metre Freestyle Relay was also won by KWA’S swimmers Kyle Abeysinghe, Kaveen Weerasinghe, Kavindra Nugawela and Matthew Abeysinghe. The event saw them set a new record of 3:36.72-breaking SLN’S record from last year (3:39.86).
KWA also set a new record in the men’s 200-Metre Medley Relay with a new record of 1:48.01. The new record was set by the four Abeysinghe brothers, Dillon, Andrew, Matthew and Kyle. The previous record (1:51.32) was set by SLN in 2014.