A fresh quest to unearth rural sports talent
The Ministry of Education and the Sri Lanka Schools Sports Council will be launching a scheme to groom Milo Schools Colours Award winners for future international events. They are to be given special training in this respect. The Ministry of Education has realised that the future of sports lies in their hands and they should be encouraged to follow their dreams. In 2024 Sri Lanka is hoping that these winners will be ideal to bring Sri Lanka Olympic medals. This was disclosed by Sunil Jayaweera, Special Consultant of Sports attached to the Education Ministry.
The “Sri Lanka Schools Colours Awards Ceremony 2015” is the most important event in the school sports filed is organised by the Education Ministry Sri Lanka School Sports council and sponsored by MILO (Nestle Lanka PLC).
This schools colours award ceremony sponsored by MILO (Nestle Lanka PLC) for the 24th year will be held on June 10 at 2.00 p.m. at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). Whilst Education Minster Akila Viraj Kariyawasam will attend the event as chief guest, the provincial Chief Minister of Sri Lanka will also be invited to witness the awarding of colours to the sportsmen and women representing multiple provinces. 352 students representing 26 sports that had won or participated in national and international level sports tournament in 2015, will be recognised and awarded the colours at the ceremony. Given below are the number of colours recipients categorised by the various sports.
Cricket 18, Athletics 35, Wrestling 9, Water Sports 37, Weight Lifting 11, Gymnastics 5, Tennis 3, Baseball 2, Football 4, Throw-ball 4, Boxing 13, Shooting 8, Squash 4, Table Tennis 16, Chess 13, Carrom 15, Volleyball 14, Rugger 26, Taekwondo 8, Netball 36, Softball Cricket 10, Handball 5, Karate 38, Rowing 4, Aerobic Gymnastics 2, Mountaineering 12. The following players have been nominated by the respective school associations as most outstanding and Emerging sportsman and sportswomen of the year 2015.
Emerging Sportsman
Table Tennis: Prasad Jayasanka De Silva, Vidyartha College, Kandy. Athletics: R. Roshan Dhammika Ranathunga , Kularathna Central College, Godakawela. Swimming: Akalanka Peries, St. Peter’s College, Colombo. Chess: Dineth N. Naotunna , D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo. Squash: M.W.M. Shamil, D.S. Senanayake College, Kurunegala.
Emerging Sportswomen
Table Tennis: Chamathsara Divyajali Fernando, Visakha Vidyalaya Colombo 05, Chess: Dilhara Wickremasinghe, Musaeus College, Colombo, Athletics: D.M. Yamani Dulanjali,Visakha Vidyalaya, Karate – G.G.A.P.Kumari Ambagamuwa, Central College. Squash: Pathum Ishadeen, St, Peter’s Girls School, Swimming: Hiruni Sanjana Perera, Harischandra Natioinal College, Negombo.
Most Outstanding Sportsman
Table Tennis:-Imesh Udaya Ranasinghe, Vidyartha College, Kandy. Athletics: Chamal Kumarasiri. D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo. Karate: Neyon Tharindu Sampaya, Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa. Squash: H. Ravindu Hasintha Laksiri, D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo.
Most Outstanding Sportswoman
Table Tennis: Muthumali Priyadarshini, Sri Devananda College, Ambalangoda. Athletics: R.M. Rameshika Kumari Rathnayake, St.Joseph’s Balika Vidyalaya Kegalle. Squash: K.A. Mihiliya Methsarani, Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya Colombo. Karate: K.V.P.D.N. Sooraweera, Vishaka Balika Vidyalaya, Sapugaskanda.