Zurfick recorded the fastest time at 1967 All India meet
There is a far away look in M.G.M.S. Zurfick’s eyes when he talks about motorcycle racing. He was Sri Lanka’s champion rider at All India meets for several years in the 60s. He reigned supreme at Katukurunda and Mahagasthota Hill climbs for several years. His favourite was the Yamaha, which machine he introduced to the island. First he rode the 250 cc. YGS 3 and then the 250 cc TR 3.
He thrilled the Sri Lankan and Indian motor sports enthusiasts for six years with his dare-devil riding and held many titles in the unlimited class.
“My first appearance on the Yamaha was at the Mahagasthota Hill Climb in 1967. I generated so much of power and surged through the winding road to win unchallenged,” reminisced Zurfick.
“I am eternally grateful to the late V. A. Sugathadasa, our first Sports Minister for issuing me a permit to import the first Yamaha 250 cc YG 3,” said Zurfick. Zurfick’s one ambition now is to serve his country in whatever capacity that he can.
Zurfick’s hour of glory came when he represented the country in 1967 at the 11th All-india Motor Race championships in Madras. He emerged an easy winner in the unlimited class and recorded the fastest time of the day astride his faithful Yamaha.
A remarkable virtue of this great rider was that he had no excuses when his lost a race. He took victory, too, in the same stride. “The winner rode better and he deserved to win,” those were his words when he lost.
Zurfick was an all-round sportsman at Wesley College and Zahira College. He took part in cricket, rugby football, swimming wrestling, judo and even archery.
In later years, he was the founder President, Power Lifting Association of Sri Lanka and President, Wrestling Federation of Sri Lanka.
He was instrumental in taking fifteen wrestlers to the World Wrestling championship in Tokyo, Japan; He kept back two grapplers in Japan to be trained to participate at the Asian Championship held in China.
He was also a vice-president of the Ace Athletic Club. Zurfick held the post of Treasurer, Asian Boxing Council and was also a member of the World Boxing Council.
On two occasions, Zurfick was unanimously chosen as the Sports Star of the Year in a contest organized by the former Times Group of Newspapers.
Zurfick was a well-known businessman in Japan, having lived and done business there for well over a quarter century. He had the honour of carrying the first and the largest Gem, named the ‘Star of Lanka’, weighing about 400 carats. This Cats Eye was prominently exhibited at a Trade Fair in Japan. He was also the coordinator for Japanese Investment Promotion.
Zurfick had attended a number of Olympic Games and was in Sydney, Australia, in 2000, as the President, Wrestling Federation of Sri Lanka.
Born in the night of Christmas 1941, at Wellawatte, this sporting ambassador of Sri Lanka says that champions the world over were not born as champions.
“They had to toil hard and truly to achieve that champion status. One day, we have to leave, leaving everything behind. It’s only the good that we do that we carry into the everlasting bliss,” was Zurfick’s words.
Zurfick, was conferred a Doctorate by the University of Japan for services rendered to sport and being a well recognized per- sonality both in Sri Lanka and Japan.
“It was all a session of dreams,” voiced the soft spoken Zurfick. “I think I have fulfilled all the promises I made at the beginning of my career. I have laurels both in my country and even in India. It has been a fantastic thing,” he said. “They had to toil hard and truly to achieve that champion status. One day, we have to leave, leaving everything behind. It’s only the good that we do that we carry into the everlasting bliss,” was what Zurfick told ‘the Sunday Times before ending his candid interview.
The sporting M. G. M. S. Zurfick, was conferred a Doctorate by the University of Japan for services rendered to sport and being a well recognized personality both in Sri Lanka and Japan.