Dolphin AC Ambalangoda won the Nationals 6 times
Ambalangoda which thrived in sea swims, in the 60s had a lean spell in 1970 and 1980. In 1979 NAASU commenced outstation swimming meets in order to revive swimming in these areas. From these meet three swimmers were chosen and given the opportunity to train in Colombo. They were: Kanchen Rajapakshe, S.K. Pathmasiri amd T.H. Damith Chandralal.
According to Ranil Goonasena, SSC and Hilton swim coach, he was given the task of training these swimmers for the Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh triangular meet. Ultimately Kanchen was selected to represent Sri Lanka at this meet in the 200M back stroke event.
In 1990 Ranil was confirmed as a Level Four Coach of the American Swimming Coaches Association in Florida, USA and became one of the 18 coaches in the world body, which was a rare honour to Ranil and Sri Lanka. Added to that Ranil went on to obtain a Health Fitness and Nutrition Diploma issued by the International Correspondence School at the same time. According to him, out of the 11 examinations he faced he had got through in eight examinations obtaining a record score of 100 out of 100! This score put him amongst the top ten in the world!
Getting back to swimming in Ambalangoda, at Kanchen’s request Ranil was sent to Ambalangoda every weekend from 1980 to train swimmers for various meets throughout the year. Each weekend Ranil had laid the programme to be carried out for the following week. The results had been fantastic!
During the years 1980 to 1988 Dolphin AC Ambalangoda bagged the national titles on six occasions that too without a swimming pool. The swimmers had trained in the snake infested Madampe River. With all these setbacks they emerged champions at the nationals in 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987.
In 1981 Kanchen Rajapakshe and T.H. Damith Chandralal (deceased) were chosen to represent Sri Lanka at the triangular meet between India, Sri Lanka and Ban- gladesh. That year Kanchen went on to win the two mile sea swim organized by the Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda and one of the oldest swimming races in the world - the Mount Lavinia two mile sea swim organized by the NAASU.
In 1982 four swimmers were picked to represent Sri Lanka at the Indo-Sri Lanka-Bangladesh triangular meet. They were Damith Chandralal, his brother T.H. Mahi Chandralal, T.G. Cameron Kumara and S.S. P. Lakshman (deceased). That year Kanchen won the two mile sea swims organized by the Dharmasoka Ambalangoda as well as the Mount Lavinia sea swim organized by the NAASU. In the latter meet he had beaten Julian Bolling, one of the best known names in local swimming. He had also gone on to win the six mile sea swim setting up a new record in the process.
In 1983 Ranil sponsored Mahi Chandralal to Colombo and made the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) pool available for training. Chandralal went on to win the two mile sea swim organised by Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda on four occasions (1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986). Chandralal also won the six mile sea swim organized by Kinross Swimming and Life Saving Club during these four years and represented Sri Lanka at the 1985 SAF Games, where he bagged a Bronze in the 200 meters dolphin butterfly.
In 1987 Ranil paved the way for Prasanna Mendis to come to Colombo again making the SSC pool available for training. Mendis won the Dharmasoka two mile sea swim from 1987 to 1990 (both years inclusive), the two mile sea swim in Mount Lavinia organized bythe NAASU from 1988 to1990 (both years inclusive). He also won the six mile sea swim organized by Kinross in 1987, 1988 and 1989, setting up a new record in 1998. He represented Sri Lanka at the SAF Games in 1987 (India - Calcutta) and in 1989 (Pakistan -, Islamabad). His pet events were 1500M and the 400M.
In 1990 Ranil coached St. Joseph’s and remained at St. Joseph’s until 1999. During that period St. Joseph’s won the Public Schools Swim Meet. The very first year Ranil took up coaching at St. Joseph’s, they triumphed at the novices swim meet as well.
One of the greatest services he did when he quit Ambalangoda was to take the swimmers who had given up their swimming, and to bring them to Colombo. Until then the coaching fraternity had been a monopoly of Colombo. The first person Ranil bought to Colombo was Kanchen Rajapakshe who had been his assistant for close upon one and a half years, before leaving Sri Lanka to the Middle East for employment there. Kanchen is back in Sri Lanka now teaching new comers at the Thurstan College pool. He also runs a private squad at Thurstan College. It so happens that his best swimmer is his son Sherran Rajapakshe.
Due to Sherran’s skill as a swimmer he enjoys a full scholarship at the Asian International School. According to Ranil, Kanchen is one of the most underrated swim coaches in Sri Lanka. He recalls how he said that Kanchen, as a 17year-old swimmer in the butterfly stroke, when the hand enters the water and the kick is executed, one should look down and as the back comes over the water if one looks forward, a sudden burst in the speed is generated. At that time, Ranil laments, that he did not take much notice of this but today, as a result of this, the speed is greatly generated. Today this method is greatly recommended in the present swimming guide titled ‘Swimming Fast’ written by the famous coach and swim author Dr. Ernest Maglischo. Even now Ranil never hesitates to correspond with Dr. Maglischo when he wants to clarify something about swimming training.