ARASL under Gunawardena aim to make Diyawanna a regional rowing hub
Dimuth Gunawardena
Dimuth Gunawardena, the newly elected president of the Amateur Rowing Association of Sri Lanka (ARASL) stated that he intends to carry forward the projects initiated by his predecessor and see rowing reach the ‘phenomenal’ level. This he said after taking over the ‘oars’ of the ARASL last week, from Rohan Fernando, who steered the rowing fraternity on two back-to-back tenures.
With the outgoing Fernando taking up a new role as part of the National Sports Council, Gunawardena was unanimously elevated to the position of president from general secretary. He will lead the new committee of ARASL, which is mentored by the outgoing president’s strategies.
“We as the incoming committee shall make every endeavour to live up to that legacy and continue to expand on Mr. Fernando’s contribution to the sport in Sri Lanka. He has been instrumental to bringing Sri Lanka’s rowing to its current status, winning the first silver and bronze medal at Asian level, developing the Diyawanna Rowing Centre with a state-of-the-art 2-kilometre international racing course and the arrival of a FISA (World Rowing Federation) trainer to uplift our national coaching standards and get our Sri Lankan coaches international accreditation,” Gunawardena, stated in his acceptance speech.
Gunawardena outlined their mission for the forthcoming tenure of two years, while proudly boasting about his young and energetic team. With the farsighted objective of making the Diyawanna Rowing Centre (DRA) and the Diyawanna Rowing Academy (DRA), located at the same facility, the most state-of-the-art rowing and sports centre in South Asia, Gunawardena and his team also has other targets.
“Training will begin soon after the Nationals in January 2021, with the objective of winning one or more gold medals at Asian Games in 2022. Winning medals at the Asian Junior Rowing Championship and at the Para Olympics in 2021 will be other main targets. In addition, we have already made plans to commence Coastal Rowing and introduce the sport at least in two outstation areas within the next couple of years,” Gunawardena said.
The new committee, according to Gunawardena, will be liable to deliver results within specific time frames to achieve these objectives.
“We will always stand above personal loyalty and stand firmly for the betterment of all rowing activities in Sri Lanka with integrity, transparency and honesty in all our dealings,” he added.
With Gunawardena leading the new ARASL committee, SithiraWickremasekera, well known as ‘the father of 8s rowing in Sri Lanka’ and Commander W.C. Wijesiri were appointed as vice presidents. Pasan Ranaweera will be the new secretary while Anoushka Tissera was elected the assistant secretary. Chamal Jayanetti was elected the treasurer with Sqn Ldr Nalin Peiris filling in the position of assistant treasurer. Outgoing president Rohan Fernando will be the senior committee member.
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of ARASL was conducted under a peaceful environment with all office bearers being elected unanimously. Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Palitha Fernando, Anura de Silva and Senaka de Seram conducted the election of office bearers in the presence of Nadika Herath of the Ministry of Sports.