Combined SLAVF Sports Meet, Inter Regiment Para Athletic Championship & Novices Sports Meet Inaugurated

The combined Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force (SLAVF) sports meet, 23rd Inter Regiment Army Para Athletic Championship and the Inter Regiment Novices Sports Meet this morning (27) got to a start at Diyagama Mahinda Rajapakse stadium in an attempt to economize on the conduct of those events separately.

Major General Jagath Kodithuwakku, Chief of Staff and Colonel of the Regiment, Sri Lanka Light Infantry graced as the Chief Guest for the inaugural ceremony of the year’s mega event, competed by hundreds of Army sportsmen/women and athletes.

Major General Sujeewa Senerath Yapa, Commandant Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force, Chairman, Army Athletic Committee, Army Para Athletic Committee and Chairman, Sky Diving Committee, together with ‘Senehasa’ Educational and Information Centre Commandant and Vice Chairman, Army Para Athletic Committee and Chairman, Army Handball Committee, Brigadier Raja Gunasekara and a representative group of differently able Army personnel welcomed the day’s Chief Guest and ushered him towards flag posts where flags of the Army, SLAVF and the Army Para Games were symbolically raised to signify the event.

The Army song that reverberated next paved the way to salute the memory of all fallen War Heroes performing a two-minute silence in order to attach due recognition to their invaluable sacrifices.

Representing all three tournaments, Brigadier Raja Gunasekara, Vice Chairman, Army Para Athletic Committee and Chairman, Army Handball Committee, raised the welcome note inviting the Chief Guest to declare the event open by releasing a set of balloons into the air. Afterwards, all athletes, competitors and referees took the oath of fair play and pledged the sustained participation throughout the tournaments.

As the final segment, Major General Jagath Kodithuwakku, Chief of Staff lit up the Olympic flame and the Torch Relay symbolizing the continuation of the two-day (27 - 28 July) long sports and athletic events.

This year’s combined event is competed by 700 plus sportsmen and women.