Rowing: Soldiers dominate 34th National Championship

Armed forces earned major honours as Sri Lanka Army made their presence felt at the 34th National Rowing Championship ended at the Diyawanna Rowing Centre on Saturday (2). 

However Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force were declared joint winners of the Men's Open category while Sri Lanka Army went on to make a clean sweep by clinching the Women's Open category. 

Army won the Men's Open Quadruple Scull, Men's Under-23 Single Scull, Men's Under-23 Double Scull and came in at second in the Men's Open Single Scull, Men's Open Pairs, Men's Open Coxless Fours and Men's Under-23 Pairs. 

Army women went on to sweep the board by clinching the Women's Open Single Scull, Women's Open Pairs, Women's Open Double Scull and Women's Open Quadruple Scull events. 

Air Force claimed the wins of the Men's Open Singles Scull and Men's Open Double Scull events while Navy won the Men's Open Pairs and Men's Open Coxless Fours events. 

Among school teams S. Thomas' College impressed with a win and three places. 

They win the Men's Under-23 Pairs and came second in the Men's Under-23 Coxless Fours and Schoolboy Scull events, and were placed third in the Men's Under-23 Double Scull behind Army and Colombo Rowing Club. 

Colombo Rowing Club went on to win the Men's Under-23 Coxless Four event. 

The Men's Under-23 Quadruple Scull event was won by Asian International School as D.S. Senanayake College finished at second. 

Musaeus College won the Women's Under-23 Double Scull and were placed second in the Women's Under-23 Quadruple Scull events. 

Ladies College won the Women's Under-23 Quadruple Scull event. 

Bishops College claimed the second and third places in the Under-23 Double Scull and the third place in the Under-23 Quadruple Scull. 

Ladies' College's Antitha Fernando won the Schoolgirl Scull event ahead of Musaeus and Bishops rowers. 

Praveen Piyadasa of Gateway College Colombo won the Schoolboy Scull event ahead of S. Thomas' and Royal oarsmen.