Generating more and more glimmers of hopes to the Nation in athletics, curtains fell on Thursday (28) evening on the landmark 50th anniversary Inter Regiment Athletics Championship of the Army that continued for three days at Sugathadasa National Stadium.
The closing ceremony of the organized by the Army Athletics Committee on the directions of the Commander of the Army and graced by Hon D.M Jayaratne, Prime Minister as the Chief Guest came to an end with all the pomp and ceremony of a sports event of international standards.
This year’s championship, competed by 750 athletes, drawn from all Regiments and Women’s Corps, mirrored the highest professional sportsmanship with many new records of improvement of the highest standards, through which the thirst for athletics achievements inside the organization was rekindled.
Comprised of track and field events, the 50th Army Athletics Meet - 2013 had been organized this year with elaborate arrangements under the personal supervision of Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army, who himself has been a keen athlete and a tower of strength to the Army field of athletics, having chaired the Army Athletics Committee for many years.
The championship reached its apex on Tuesday (26) with the inauguration of the final rounds after initial competitions were conducted at regimental levels in the past few weeks. Thursday’s final encounters saw 10000 m, Pole Vault, Hammer Throw (men and women), Long Jump (Women), relay and the traditional tug of war taking place with enormous interest and warmth.
This year’s championship and its commemorative ceremonies, coupled with a photo exhibition which depicts the historic evolution of the Army’s field of athletics and issue of a first-day cover and stamp, will follow to culminate with a felicitation ceremony on December 12 at Musaeus College auditorium where veterans and athletes, produced by the Army to-date, are to be honoured with a release of a special book on ‘Army Athletics’.
Multi-coloured Army band displays, physical training demonstrations, march pasts, fire displays and other entertaining features on Thursday (28) evening, added variety to the final closing ceremony as soldiers in their hundreds together with sports fans thronged the stadium.
The overall Championship in Men’s events went to athletes of Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (SLEME) breaking the unbroken supremacy of Sri Lanka Artillery (SLA) continuously held for 33 years. In the Women’s category, 6 (Volunteer) Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps (SLAWC) athletes claimed the Championship while the 4 (Volunteer) SLAWC became the first Runners up.
At the invitation of the Commander of the Army, Hon Prime Minister D.M Jayaratne towards the end of the event awarded trophies and medals to the competitors who excelled in different fields of athletics in the Meet.
After distribution of trophies, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army addressed the occasion, highlighting the importance of collective sportsmanship. Ceylon Biscuits Ltd (Munchee) which has been the valuable sponsor to the event recently presented its sponsorship cheque to the Commander of the Army during a press briefing.
This year’s records, said to be the best in the most recent years, brought forth an overwhelming motivation to athletes in the Army in particular and those elsewhere in general with elaborate arrangements in place. Of them, Sachith Maduranga (javelin throw), Nadeeka Lakmali (javelin throw), Niluka Rajasekara (5000 m), W.M.C.I. Wijekoon (5000 m), D.L. Samarajeewa (5000 m), E.P. Nilmini (discus throw), T. Anusha (discus throw) and W.A.I.G. Wisidagama (discus throw), D.M.E.D.K. Fernando (triple jump), I.D.S.S. Jayasinghe (triple jump), T.A.D.N. Tillekeratne (triple jump), Mohammed Saleem Deen (400 m hurdles), Janaka Prasad Wimalasiri (men’s long jump), S.A. Chathuranga (400 m hurdles), M. Dissanayake (men’s long jump), D.L. Samarajeewa (10000 m), A. C. Fernando (Pole Vault), A.W.A.S.M. Amarasingha (Hammer throw - Women), K.W.H.M.C.J. Charith Kapukotuwa (Hammer throw - Men) and P.V.R.S. Dilanki (Long Jump - Women) featured prominently with marked improvements in their national records, compared to those of the previous years. On day two, 4 Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps sprinters in the 4 x 400 m showed colours and emerged victorious.
New Records are as follows;
The closing ceremony of the organized by the Army Athletics Committee on the directions of the Commander of the Army and graced by Hon D.M Jayaratne, Prime Minister as the Chief Guest came to an end with all the pomp and ceremony of a sports event of international standards.
This year’s championship, competed by 750 athletes, drawn from all Regiments and Women’s Corps, mirrored the highest professional sportsmanship with many new records of improvement of the highest standards, through which the thirst for athletics achievements inside the organization was rekindled.
Comprised of track and field events, the 50th Army Athletics Meet - 2013 had been organized this year with elaborate arrangements under the personal supervision of Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army, who himself has been a keen athlete and a tower of strength to the Army field of athletics, having chaired the Army Athletics Committee for many years.
The championship reached its apex on Tuesday (26) with the inauguration of the final rounds after initial competitions were conducted at regimental levels in the past few weeks. Thursday’s final encounters saw 10000 m, Pole Vault, Hammer Throw (men and women), Long Jump (Women), relay and the traditional tug of war taking place with enormous interest and warmth.
This year’s championship and its commemorative ceremonies, coupled with a photo exhibition which depicts the historic evolution of the Army’s field of athletics and issue of a first-day cover and stamp, will follow to culminate with a felicitation ceremony on December 12 at Musaeus College auditorium where veterans and athletes, produced by the Army to-date, are to be honoured with a release of a special book on ‘Army Athletics’.
Multi-coloured Army band displays, physical training demonstrations, march pasts, fire displays and other entertaining features on Thursday (28) evening, added variety to the final closing ceremony as soldiers in their hundreds together with sports fans thronged the stadium.
The overall Championship in Men’s events went to athletes of Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (SLEME) breaking the unbroken supremacy of Sri Lanka Artillery (SLA) continuously held for 33 years. In the Women’s category, 6 (Volunteer) Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps (SLAWC) athletes claimed the Championship while the 4 (Volunteer) SLAWC became the first Runners up.
At the invitation of the Commander of the Army, Hon Prime Minister D.M Jayaratne towards the end of the event awarded trophies and medals to the competitors who excelled in different fields of athletics in the Meet.
After distribution of trophies, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Army addressed the occasion, highlighting the importance of collective sportsmanship. Ceylon Biscuits Ltd (Munchee) which has been the valuable sponsor to the event recently presented its sponsorship cheque to the Commander of the Army during a press briefing.
This year’s records, said to be the best in the most recent years, brought forth an overwhelming motivation to athletes in the Army in particular and those elsewhere in general with elaborate arrangements in place. Of them, Sachith Maduranga (javelin throw), Nadeeka Lakmali (javelin throw), Niluka Rajasekara (5000 m), W.M.C.I. Wijekoon (5000 m), D.L. Samarajeewa (5000 m), E.P. Nilmini (discus throw), T. Anusha (discus throw) and W.A.I.G. Wisidagama (discus throw), D.M.E.D.K. Fernando (triple jump), I.D.S.S. Jayasinghe (triple jump), T.A.D.N. Tillekeratne (triple jump), Mohammed Saleem Deen (400 m hurdles), Janaka Prasad Wimalasiri (men’s long jump), S.A. Chathuranga (400 m hurdles), M. Dissanayake (men’s long jump), D.L. Samarajeewa (10000 m), A. C. Fernando (Pole Vault), A.W.A.S.M. Amarasingha (Hammer throw - Women), K.W.H.M.C.J. Charith Kapukotuwa (Hammer throw - Men) and P.V.R.S. Dilanki (Long Jump - Women) featured prominently with marked improvements in their national records, compared to those of the previous years. On day two, 4 Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps sprinters in the 4 x 400 m showed colours and emerged victorious.
New Records are as follows;
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