Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Kimiko Rahim bags 100m Backstroke Gold to earn 740 FINA points

- By Lakshman Ranasinghe

Sri Lanka's ace Woman Swimmer Kimiko Rahim became the first Sri Lankan female Swimmer to score over 740 FINA points, when she won Gold in the Women's 100m Backstroke, with a time of 1:04.62 min, at the recently concluded Neo Golden Singapore National Swimming Championsh­ip 2019. This was a major boost to her efforts at earning a spot in the upcoming FINA championsh­ip.

Apart from Rahim's achievemen­t, Akalanka Peiris won Silver and Bronze for a total of 3 medals overall for Sri Lanka.

The 4- day competitio­n brought 3 more podium finishes, as Cherantha De Silva, Ramudi Samarakoon and Kavindra Nugawela were placed 3rd in their respective 'B' Finals.

In the same event Ganga Seneviratn­e won the third place in the 'B' Final recording a time of 1:07.58mts.

Akalanka Peiris won Silver in the Men's 50m Backstroke in the 'A' final, with a time of 26.68 secs. Peiris added one more medal for Sri Lanka with a Bronze in the Men's 100m Backstroke, with a time of 1:07.58 min.

Kavindra Nugawela won Bronze in the 'B' Final of the Men's 200m Backstroke, with a time of 2:12.70 min.

In the Men's 100m Butterfly 'B' Final, Cherantha De Silva won Bronze with a time of 54.77 secs, after a close battle with the first two place winners.

The final notable performanc­e from a Sri Lankan came from Ramudi Samarakoon as she beat 7 other top Swimmers to win Bronze in the Women's 50m Breaststro­ke, with a qualificat­ion time of 35.53 secs and a final time of 35.50 secs.

Sri Lanka, with a contingent of 15 swimmers, competed at this event which commenced on June 19.

 ??  ?? Kimiko Rahim
Kimiko Rahim

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