Nestle Central Province Schools Kids Athletics Championship ends in grand style
Monty Gopallawa Primary School, Wilgamuwa, Ankumbura Model Primary School, Katugastota and Ananda Dassanayake Primary School, Kothmale topped the three respective categories at the Central Province Nestle Kids Athletics Championship for Grade 4, organised by the Primary Education Section of Central Province Education Department.
Monty Gopallawa Primary School, Wilgamuwa topped the Boy’s category of the two-day event with 128 points, while Ambagamuwa Primary School,Hatton pipped out Ankumbura Model Primary School, Katugastota by just one point, to secure the second place.
After a close competition Ankumbura Model Primary School, Katugastota topped the Girls category, with 148 points, by a mere margin of one point. Ambagamuwa
Primary School, Hatton had to settle in at second with 147 points. The third place went to Ginigathhena Primary School, Hatton.
Ananda Dassanayake Primary School, Kothmale edged out Clerverton Tamil School, Hatton by one point to earn honours in the Mixed category. Albium Tamil School, Nuwara Eliya secured the third place.
The Nestle Kids Athletics Championship includes six different events involving kids’ day-to-day activities like walking, running, spinning and throwing in a fun way, with a scientific perspective. Based on the points earned after the six rounds, the winners are determined, but the main objective of the programme is to educate the young students of the importance of physical exercise requirements.
To develop unity, team spirit, friendship and other character building qualities among children, the Ministry of Education introduced the ‘Kids Athletics Programme’ for primary students in 2015. The programme currently conducts team sports for grades 3, 4 and 5. Nestlé sponsors this programme and has been of immense help in increasing the initiative’s popularity among schools. By developing the basic athletic talents of primary students, the aim is to improve Sri Lanka’s future in athletics.
Through this programme, more than 175,000 students participated in 247 divisional level games, 74 zonal level games and seven provincial level games. All provinces in the country will be represented at this year’s championship, totaling 5,940 children. The competition for Grades 3 and 4 took place at the Kandy Bogambara grounds.