Kayaking catching up in Sri Lanka
Of the wide union of skills Kayaking demands, the three most crucial are probably dexterity, teamwork and cast-iron willpower. Proponents of the sport in Sri Lanka have had to rely heavily on each of these qualities in a bid to get things going locally. As a result, within the span of just a few years, Kayaking is now rapidly paddling its way into the country’s mainstream sporting tableaux, especially after a strong international debut in Uzbekistan.
National coach Mihin Amarasinghe says that the country’s outing at the 15th Asian Canoe Sprint Championships, held in the World Heritage City of Samarqand in Uzbekistan from September 26-29, was revealing in two contrasting ways. It simultaneously unveiled both the abundant potential of the Lankan team and the gulf in development and knowledge that presently exists between them and other countries from the region.
Sri Lanka was among 28 countries that took part at the 15th Asian Canoe Sprint Championship in Uzbekistan
“It’s the first time Sri Lanka has fielded a team at any international event. It was an eye-opener for the guys on the team, they saw the standards they have to match if they want to really do well,” Amarasinghe explained.
Twenty-eight countries participated in the competition, in which the Sri Lankan unit manufactured a well-rounded exhibition. R. Wijerathna from the Navy and D. Tharanga of the Air Force made it into the semi-finals of two events, the K1 (K meaning kayaking while the numeral denotes the number of paddlers in the kayak. Race categories comprise K1, K2 and K4) 1000 meters and the K1 200 meters respectively, where they fared commendably.
Their achievements hold an added sheen of value given the age of the sport in Sri Lanka. Kayaking only took its first significant steps in 2004, when the National Association for Canoeing and Kayaking in Sri Lanka (NACKSL) was created.
Following this, the sport gradually began to find its bearings on the local landscape with an International Canoe Federation (ICF)-certified coach, Zakaria Mahmoudi, arriving in the country to train aspiring kayakers and coaches in April 2010.
Training camps which dealt with proper technique, training and strategy were conducted in Bolgoda, Kitulgala and Belihuloya.
Then in May 2011, the Olympic Solidarity Assistance (OSA), through the National Olympic Committee, funded a one-month training programme in the Hungarian capital of Budapest for Amarasinghe through which he became an ICF-certified coach for Canoeing and Kayaking.
Though Kayaking’s progress here has come at a swift pace, its road ahead is still littered with obstacles.
“We need more money and more structured training. In terms of the boats we use, we are below par but not by much. They are okay boats. Compared to three years ago, we have come a long way in terms of equipment. Last year Iran also donated some boats to us so that also really helped. What we need to do now is raise awareness for the sport and get people to invest more,” Amarasinghe said.
A major part of any awareness drive, Amarasinghe stresses, will involve taking the sport into schools. Presently, all practitioners of the sport are entirely from the Armed Forces, which for a young sport is convenient, the national coach says, because of fitness and their familiarity with it.
Amarasinghe adds that these are still early days for competitive Kayaking and its overall form is likely to transform into a more diverse entity with more momentum and exposure.
“Kayaking is a fully-fledged Olympic sport. It is an old and fully-established sport so if you do well you do get proper international recognition. Our next plan is to bring in canoeing. We already have the boats. Once the suitable restructuring is completed by the Navy, we can get it started and bring people in.”