Arshika – lifting nation’s pride on her shoulder
Arshika (L), claimed a silver at the 13th SAG
It is a great privilege to share the proud moment of Arshika Vijayabaskar, an Advanced Level student of Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna who made Sri Lanka proud by winning a silver medal in weightlifting at the 13th South Asian Games (SAG) in Nepal in December.
Her parents are Mr. and Mrs. Vijayabaskar. She has an elder brother.
At the age of 13, Arshika started her career in weightlifting. When she was 14, she took part in the National level schools under 15 and won the gold medal. She has won many first places in Jaffna District, Northern Province and at national level.
In 2016, Arshika was selected to participate in the Youth Commonwealth Games which was held in Malaysia and won the bronze medal.
She won the gold medal in the Open National level in 2017, 2018 and 2019, setting one national record and two event records and was selected for SAG. She also set three records in the under 20 in the 63gg category with a lift of 173kg.
Arshika also participated in the Open National Level Powerlifting and won the gold. In the 72kg category she lifted 130kg (squat), 132kg (dead lift) and 46kg (bench press) for a total of 308kg.
She also secured the International Karate Black Belt 1st Dan Diploma. Selected to represent Sri Lanka in weightlifting at SAG, Arshika took part in the 64kg category. She lifted 70kg by snatch and 100kg by clean jerk for a total of 170kg winning the silver medal.
Arshika is coached by her father Vijayabaskar who has also won silver medal in weightlifting Intermediate level. In karate he won the Black Belt 5th Dan. This year in the master’s powerlifting, he won the gold medal.
Arshika’s elder brother Vijayashankar too has participated in the Intermediate level weightlifting winning the gold medal and in the Open senior championship national level to win the bronze medal.
Her mother is a housewife who encourages her husband and children in sports. She never misses any of their events and is always been supporting them.
Arshika’s international performance was due to her discipline, dedication and determination. In weightlifting maintaining body weight is hard, but Arshika by discipline, was able to do it. She controlled the intake of food which is hard at this age. She had regular practices which she never missed. She dedicated her time in an organized manner. The determination she had in her mind that she should win a medal at the international level brought her to this level of achievement.
Her achievement is an example to all sportsmen and women. Achievement is like a triangle. The sportsman, family and school should join hands. All three should be in good terms for a sports woman or man to reach higher level of achievements. We are proud to say that Arshika is a product of Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna. Arshika has brought honour by winning the silver medal at the SAG.
It is a great achievement by Arshika that she brings great honour to her school. She is the second person who has represented Sri Lanka at the international level from Chundikuli Girls’ College in sports after Selva Gowri did so in the 1980s. She represented Sri Lanka in the athletics at the Asian Games and won a silver medal for hurdles.
We the old girls of Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna together with the Principal and the school community are proud of her achievement.