Sports

Amid the ringing of the temple bells within the vicinity, I did a quiet walk with my colleague (to meet Donald Labrooy) one of the finest boxers that Sri Lanka produced. Though weatherbeaten he is still smart, despite suffering a serious injury, followed by plastic surgery too.Labrooy was a self made boxer from St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy. It was old Royalist schoolmaster, Roy Amerasinghe who just taught him the straight left. Rev. Fr. Robert Perera the Rector of St. Sylvester’s gave him all encouragement for boxing.

As a junior he was totally committed to boxing. He even took the school’s punching bag home during the vacation. His roadwork was around Kandy.

Q: Who were your contemporaries at school level?
A: The De Soysa brothers – Milroy and Annesley, the Marshall brothers – Leslie and Malcolm.

Q: What was your most unforgettable moment in your schoolboy career?
A: In the 1952 Nationals, in the fly weight category I fought against one of the finest products of Ananda, in Mahesan Weliwitagoda (Navy) who was a hard puncher. No quarter given none asked for. He floored me in round. one. I was much fitter to last the pace. However I floored him in the final round to win the semis on points.

In the finals I defeated the reigning champion PC Dharmapala. I was adjudged the Best Boxer for the Manning Cup. There was no looking back since then and I left school with a feather in my cap and joined the Sri Lanka Air Force as an A.C.

Q: Any regrets?
A: No. I had self belief in me. I retired as a Warrant Officer.

Q: Anything special at the Air Force?
A: In 1954 I fought in the Bantam weight and defeated the late T.J. Martyn in the finals and was adjuged the Best boxer again. In the 1960 nationals (Feather Weight) I met PC Dharmapala in the finals. Once again I was awarded the Manning Cup for Best Boxer.

Q: Anyone helped you in your school career?
A: Imagine there was no one to second me in my corner. I was grateful to late DCA Wickremasinghe “Guru” for the boxers. He assisted me and he was one of the best coaches in boxing.

Q: In what way did you help Air Force boxing?
A: I was instrumental in starting boxing and coached them. In 1960 It was adjudged the best team of the year and awarded the Xavier Memorial Challenge Shield. The team had T.M. Khalid, Bertie Ekanayake, Hepponstall Navaratnaraja etc. I also played soccer for the airmen with the likes of the legendary late Mahinda Aluwihare. Also in club and inter-Service championships.

Q: You never played cricket.
A: No but I played hockey. My sons excelled in the willow wielding sport. Boxed for Sri Lanka and for the Defence Services. In the Services contest held in Singapore lost 6-3, in the 60s. But he won his bout. He refereed.

The last time being in 1984, at the nationals, Doyen of boxing late Eddie Gray was the president of the ABA.

Q: You must have had ups and downs in life.
A: Yes, I enjoyed good and bad times. Its part and parcel of life. I met with a nasty moto-bike accident whilst coming to work from Negombo to Colombo at the Airport junction when I collided with a car and now I am virtually bed-ridden. I had to undergo plastic surgery to the hip. Mobility was affected. Since then never stepped into a ring.