Daya for Asian Karate Congress

Daya Samarasekera, the Chief Karate Instructor will represent Sri Lanka at the Asian Karate Congress to be held at the Toa Payoh Stadium, Singapore from November 28 to December 4.

He is the Vice President of the Karate Do Federation of Sri Lanka and will attened a technical seminar.

He is the chief instructor for the Army, Army Women's Corps, Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy, Military Academy, National Academy for Martial Arts and Nachifu International. Daya is also an All-Island JP.

Mallawarachchis help Wesley to win title

By Ravi Nagahawatte

Humanitarian acts are hard to come by. They are so rare in today's society that incidents of someone lending a helping hand to a person indeed is like waiting to see a rainbow. In rugby there occurred something so heart-warming when a sports loving family went all the way to provide shelter to the Wesley College Junior (U-13) rugby team while they were taking part in an all-Island inter-school tournament in Kandy.

The person who thought that he could offer help in some way to these youngsters was former Kandy Sports Club and St. Anthony's College ruggerite, Chandana Mallawarachchi, who readily offered his house to the Wesley ruggerites for two days.

The house was situated just behind the Nittawela Ground and the opportunity to use Mallawarachchi's residence made the rugby- playing lads relax just like at home.

The Prefect of Games of Wesley College, Kenneth de Silva told The Sunday Times that having a place for themselves to relax played a major role in their (Wesley) winning the''Cup" Championship. "There was a lot of unhealthy rivalry at the ground. The atmosphere was hostile. And the players felt as if they were leaving a battlefield when they walked away from the grounds after playing a match. It was nice to have had a separate place for the boys. The Mallawarachchi family gave us the kitchen to hold discussions in between matches. And the players roughed out on the varandah in the night. They even provided us with hot water for players who were injured or bruised. "We had that feeling that we were wanted, just like at home" said de Silva, who added that he, however, had to take this opportunity to thank Sri Rahula College, Kandy for coming forward earlier to house them in their school premises. When The Sunday Times asked Chandana Mallawaarachchi why he thought of helping out these kids he had this to say. 'My cousin was playing for Wesley. But that was not the main reason. Any ruggerite knows that when he goes outstation to play a match the circumstances are hard to put up with.

I once slept on a matting. And the main reason was that these kids were small. They had to be safe. So I thought of providing them with accommodation", said Mallawarachchi.

During the tournament they out-classed most of their opponents and registered wins against Vidyartha (quarter finals), Sylvester's 12-7 (semi finals) and St. Anthony's Kandy 24-12 in the final.

The team was marshalled by Omar Sariffdeen and was coached by former Science College player Dishantha Priyadharshana. The Wesleyites also received the assistance of senior coach Sanath Martins and rugby enthusiast, M.E.C.Perera. The master-in-charge was N.J.Mudannayake, better known in the School's Rugby Football Association.

This is the second time that Wesley have won a 'Cup" Championship in the 'school' rugby history. And how easy it was to achieve this with the sport-loving Mallawarachchi family right behind them.

Millennium horse races

The Sri Lanka Turf Club is starting the year 2000 with two Horse Race Meets to be held at Nuwara Eliya on January 10 and 22, 2000. There will be a thoroughbred, half breed and pony races on these days.

Several newcomers such as Dr. M.S.N. Noohu, Gamini Kodithuwakku, Capt. Ramzi Raheem, A.A. Wickramanayake, Helmut Hendricks, Chandran Ratnam, Nigel Austin and Mrs. Shantha De Zoysa have brought down horses from India. Several thoroughbreds will be seen in action at the beginning of the Millennium year.

The President of the Sri Lanka Turf Club Mr. Dhammika Attygalle and the Executive Committee are sparing no pains in making this event a success. Sunny Rahim, Chairman Board of Stewards who has just returned from visiting the races in India and Melbourne, is hoping to introduce a few more events for thoroughbred horses.

Singapore Turf Club is considering in sending some horses after the discussion Mr. Dhammika Attygalle, President of the Sri Lanka Turf Club had with them during his visit to Singapore.

SAARC Cycling in Sri Lanka

The first ever international cycling championships (SAARC) will be conducted by the Cycling Federation of Sri Lanka assisted by the Sri Lanka Army from Thursday December 2 to 5.

India, Bangladesh and Pakistan have confirmed their participation.

This championships will be declared open by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, S.B. Dissanayake at the Sports Ministry grounds on Thursday December 2 at 9 a.m.

On Friday December 3, the Individual time trial for men and women will be held at the Moratuwa/Panadura Marine Drive at 8 a.m.

On Sunday December 5, the Road Race for men from Panagoda to Ratnapura and back via Avissawella will be held at 8 a.m. Followed by the women's race from Panagoda to Hanwella and back at 8.15 a.m.

S.P. creates rugby history - thanks to Ruhunu Rfu

By Bernie Wijesekera

For the first time in the annals of Southern Province rugby, two schoolboys from St. Aloysius College, Galle, have been picked for the Under-19 National rugby team, who will participate in the forthcoming Asian Junior championship, to be held in Taiwan, next month - December 6.

T.B. Amendra Kumara, the scrum half and burly Prabath de Zoysa, both players who started playing for St. Aloysius when the game was introduced to the province by Kumar Abeywardena, the former Havelocks SC flanker.

Amendra Kumara the captain of the school team started playing at the Under-13 level and helped the school to emerge champions in the All-Island Division II tournament.

Both lads were seen training at the Havelocks SC grounds under Kandy District coach, Ananda Kasthuriarachchi.

The duo was interviewed by The Sunday Times. Both lads said that they were happy to have gained selection for the Sri Lanka Under-19 team. It was the first time that Southern Province. rugby came into recognition at any level.

Q. Who was initially responsible for introducing the sport in Ruhuna?

A. Undoubtedly it was Kumar Abeywardena's brainchild. Today it's gaining ground among the schools in Southern Provonce. The master-in-charge of St. Aloysius, Sarath Ranaweera, Mr. Dole attached to the Galle Police, Capt. Mendis and supporters of rugby helped to promote the game.

Q. Who coached?

A. Initially it was Mohan of the Navy. But later Abeywardena introduced B.K. Ramanandan to coach the schoolboys and for its development. St. Aloysius has excelled in other sports like cricket, football and athletics. But it was the first time that two schoolboys gained selection at national level in rugby. They have done proud to the game in the district.

Ananda Kasthuriarachchi, the coach travels daily from Kandy, while the boys from the outstation schools had to find their own abode.

The authorities should have made arrangements to their comfort rather than allow them to run from pillar to post. They should have been housed at the Sports Ministry dormitory.

Rugby was introduced to Southern province only a couple of years ago, but it has borne fruit, thanks to the Ruhunu RFU hierarchy's development programme at grassroot level.

A.I.S. Swimmers awarded national school colours

Five outstanding swimmers of the Asian International School were awarded colours at the Sri Lanka Schools Colours awards ceremony. Sean Lee, Rasansie Lankage, Tahire Edirisinghe, Dakshini de Alwis and Tehani Samarasekera recorded outstanding performances at the National Swimming Championships and in other events throughout the year. Sean Lee and Rasansie Lankage were medalists for Sri Lanka at the SAF Games in Nepal.

A notable omission from this year's honours is that of Juhani de Mel. The youngest diver to represent Sri Lanka in International Competition, this 13-year-old was a medalist in the National Swimming Championships too. The organisers have assured the school that this will be rectified soon.

These young swimmers from AIS are truly "Future Champions of Sri Lanka".

De Zoysa races proKarts into new millennium

Richard de Zoysa, the legendary Rally driver was always of the opinion that Sri Lanka needed an International Standard race track. The only Sri Lankan to drive in the East African Safari Rally, De Zoysa has travelled widely and seen top level racing in most parts of the world and is at a loss to understand as to why the local administrators of the sport does not move in the required direction.

ProKarting which is the stepping stone to competition Formula Racing will receive a shot in the arm as De Zoysa is busy laying out a Formula I scaled done track at Millennium Park.

The project set to take off in mid-December will have an International Standard track with a Grand Stand laid out on a fantastic setting bordering the Beira Lake is designed by renowned architect Romesh Fonseka.

The operators of Colombo ProKarts have planned a heavy schedule of 52 races (every Saturday) for each segment of business, i.e., Bankers, Travel Trade, Hoteliers, Garment Ind., etc., and 52 operators races every Sunday.

The ProKart track will be open daily from 10.00 a.m.-11.00 p.m. and will be self-sustained with health drinks and snacks, wide screen video, pool table and other facilities. ProKarting will be affordable and stringent safety standards will be strictly maintained.

Track design is in the expert hands of Dallas Martenstyn, Pradeep Jayawardena, Bri Ponnambalam and Suren Cooke.

Richard was first inspired by the Champion performances of his 14-year-old son Dejan who within 5 months of ProKarting won the Caltex All Island Open ProKart Championship in 1998 beating a whole field of senior top calibre karters.

Richard who together with the cream of the racing fraternity formed the highly successful Motor Racing Association of Sri Lanka has the blessings and unstilted support of all this close racing clan and you could see them all together in solidarity at the race site, Millennium Park, together realising a dream.

De Zoysa is confident of working closely with a well known oil manufacturer who will be the principal sponsor with a host of co-sponsors who will outline the race track with their branding giving a distinct International track concept.

De Zoysa will direct a dynamic marketing team to promote inter comany racing and has ideas to introduce it to schools as well. Corporate races will be high on the targeted agenda meanwhile leaving adequate time for leisure ProKarting.

Sri Lanka and in particular budding racing drivers will be fortunate to avail themselves of this fantastic facility to take the first steps towards racing, to let off stress or simply to have fun indulging themselves in this scintillating motor sport. The operators have plans to promote foreign tourists to visit their ProKart venue and try karting on this challenging track.

De Zoysa has intentions of running the project as a BOI venture to facilitate the import of the latest lap timing technology and to introduce every development of the sport in Sri Lanka.

Navy regatta on December 5

The Navy Sailing Regatta conducted by the Yachting Association of Sri Lanka in the Sprite series will be held on Sunday December 5 at the Bolgoda Lake at 11 a.m.

The winner of this regatta will be awarded the Navy Challenge Cup, who have also arranged prizes for the winners of the Fleet Race and Optimist Race for children in the afternoon.

The Race Officer of the day will be Olympic Sailor Ranil Dias.

Rover pinpoints

Who are the losers?

Two cricketers pulled out of two tours. Rover learns that this was done at a house of a former President of the Cricket Board, where both cricketers were summoned in the presence of a former manager and former captain. Who are the losers? Cricket or they?

On bended knees now!

A cricketer who said that he did not want support from the media has made an about-turn. It happened at a wedding of a journalist attended by this cricketer and two other journalists. This cricketer was very friendly chatting away and even followed the two journalists, one from an English newspaper and the other from a Sinhala newspaper, chatting away even to the toilet!

No commission?

A leading sport is to host an international championship in Sri Lanka for the very first time. Because of this two officials were trying to obtain commissions in booking a leading hotel to house the competitors numbering 40 and the officials by quoting high figures.

But the younger echelons of this association let them down badly by booking another hotel much cheaper than their offer.

All missing?

The Milo Colours Nite was held at the BMICH, the President and Secretary from a leading sport sponsored by them, were not present to take their seats when their names were called.

Adding insult to injury on the sponsors was the absence of the sole award winner from a leading school from Colombo. What a let down!

Not CRC

The official who spoke to the TV station to cover the press conference regarding the Boat Building Project was a senior official from the Amateur Rowing Association of Sri Lanka and not a member of the Colombo Rowing Club.

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