Swimming: President's Challenge Trophy this Sunday

On reaching a milestone of ten years, it will be interesting to reminisce on the beginnings of the now much sought after Mercantile Swimming Championship for the President’s Challenge Trophy organised by the Thurstan College Aquatic Club (TCAC) and being held each year at the Thurstan College Swimming Pool Complex (TCSPC) in Colombo.

The tenth consecutive Mercantile Swimming Championship Meet is due to be held on Sunday October 16 at the Thurstan College Swimming Pool Complex as has been each year, commencing at 8.00 a.m. 

The Meet is held in accordance with the technical rules of the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union and the rules of the FINA, the world governing body and is conducted and judged by a panel of officials from SLASU, to ensure that accepted rules and regulations and standards, are strictly adhered to and maintained as per international guidelines.

The past overall winners and runners-up over the years have been MAS Holdings, John Keels Holdings and SriLankan Airlines with many other participating organizations being sectional winners.

The events are open to male and female participants of eight age groups under two categories novices and championship covering all disciplines of swimming - Free Style, Back Stroke, Breast Stroke, Butterfly and Medleys and Relays.

There will also be invitation events for both girls and boys schools as well as one for disabled personnel of the tri-forces and the meet will be capped with an exhibition presentation of either diving or water ballet or both.

The Organizing Committee is chaired by Maj. Gen(Retd). Dr. Dudley Perera, another distinguished Old Thurstanite.

The event is sponsored by Mobitel, Nawaloka Hospitals, JB Decorators, Prime Lands and Foster and Reed.

In the first year of the Championship, there were 18 organizations with 170 participants taking part, which over the years has grown from strength to strength and last year 32 organizations and 543 swimmers were vying for glory. 

It has now gained recognition as one of the foremost events in the swimming calendar of Sri Lanka.