Joes regain title after 14 years; St. Bridget’s defend crown
St. Joseph’s College ended a 14-year wait to claim the championship title at the Novices Swimming Championship, organised by the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) at the Sugathadasa Aquatic Complex in Colombo last Sunday. Meanwhile, St. Bridget’s Convent successfully defended their title, securing the girls’ championship for the second consecutive year.
The boys’ team from St. Joseph’s, under the guidance of coach Praneeth Harindra, performed admirably despite having a much smaller squad compared to their competitors. With only four divers, St. Joseph’s clinched the national novice championship for the first time since their last victory in 2011. The team achieved an impressive medal haul, including four gold and two silver medals, along with a fourth-place finish.
St. Joseph’s College Novices Diving Team (From left): Jaden Ranasinghe, Harindra Praneeth (Coach), Kemith Daniel, Aman Rayhan, John McKenzie with Sudam Cooray in front – Pic courtesy SLASU
St. Joseph’s top performances came in both the individual and team events across various age categories. In the Under-13 category, Sudam Cooray earned a fourth place finish in the 1m Springboard event. In the Under-17 category, Aman Reyhan and Jaden Ranasinghe dominated the Springboard events. Reyhan secured gold in the 1m Springboard, while Jaden earned the silver medal. In the 3m Springboard event, the duo swapped positions, with Jaden clinching the gold and Reyhan taking silver. The Under-20 category saw John McKenzie excel, securing gold medals in both the 1m and 3m Springboard events.
On the other hand, St. Bridget’s Convent, under coach Chanaka Wickramasinghe and assistant coach Prasad Dissanayake, continued their dominance in the girls’ events. The team clinched the title with strong performances across several age categories. In the Under-15 category, Tiamarie Hopwood led the way with a remarkable score of 92.70 points to earn the gold medal, while Yeheni Rodrigo and Shanaya Beruwalage followed with silver and bronze medals respectively. In the Under-11 category, Eleena Dewathanthiriarachi and Amberlie Abeyesekera delivered solid performances, securing second and third places.
St. Bridget’s also shone in the Under-13 girls’ category, where Mariah Suraweera earned a commendable second-place finish. With these consistent results, St. Bridget’s Convent ensured their back-to-back victory.
St. Bridget’s Convent Novices Diving Team First row (from left): Prasad Disanayake (Assistant Coach), Tiamarie Hopwood, Eleena Dewathanthiriarachi, Amberlie Abeyesekara, Shanaya Beruwalage, Mahainda Liyanage (Secretary SLASU), Chanaka Wickramasinghe (Coach), Mariah Suraweera Second row (from left): Yeheni Ridrogo, Jenara Armstrong, Manudi Gunarathna, Dilshi Fernando, Aanya Fernando