Visakhians and Joes rule the Sugathadasa waters
Visakha Vidyalaya and St. Joseph’s College’s dominated the 46th National Age Group Aquatic Championship 2022 after effortlessly topping their respective gender categories with 354 and 556 points.
Visakians and the Darley road lads have been consistently proving their prowess in the waters wining previous school meets also. Yesterday was only another testimony.
Sri Lankan National swimmer, Akalanka Peiris, a recordbreaker on Thursday (9), renewed his own record of
26.27, beating it with a 26.24 in the open-age category in backstroke.
“Yeah, at the moment, we’re preparing for the World Championship (FINA) and Commonwealth Games
(CWG). So that I can perform at world championships and do something great at CWG,” prodigious Peiris, set to compete at the CWG, said speaking to the Sunday Times.
Jessie Seneviratne, of Holy Family Convent (HFC), Bambalapitya, dazzled the event with four 1st places of the six events she swam. In the rest too, she swam well enough to settle for secondplaces.
“I’m happy for what I did. I’m proud,
too” said Seneviratne, whose pet events are 50m freestyle, 50m fly and 100m free style.
“Two years ago, I never expected to be here, today. With my mother and coaches help, I’m finally here,” she said very much grounded, despite six awards. Haathim Asif, a champion in the U-13 category, said “I’m happy. I also realize what I have won. I’m grateful to sir Shehaan Dias,” he said immediately after the win. Haathim, 11, participated in four events and made a mark recording all first places. The Peterites events were – 200m individual medley, 100m free style, 50m freestyle and 200m freestyle.
The meet, concluding yesterday at the Sugathadasa swimming complex, after it was rescheduled from last month due to country’s situation, saw dozens of events being worked off during the fourday event.