Published on - 5/11/2004
As General Henry Lee puts it, \"A citizen, first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen\". So is the case with brave soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army, who sacrificed their today for our tomorrow and safeguarded the territorial integrity of this island-nation. Many Sri Lankans cherish their memories very well and recall heroic deeds of their military brethren with due respect to them. The Army, as a professional outfit, always seeks avenues to help the disables in its outfit and promotes their skills other than those needed for warfare.
Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, Lt. Gen L. P Balagalle with his fatherly warmth took an enormous interest in the project for wheelchair tennis for those differently-able men and women in the Army. Plans got underway and began to take shape as the army\'s Tennis Committee kicked off the project with the cooperation of the Sri Lanka Tennis Association. Results were encouraging and rewarding, believe it or not, just two years after its induction.
Award of prizes and certificates to wheel-chair ridden but differently-able soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army, who took part in the final tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) in concurrence with the National Disables Federation and the Army's Tennis Committee took place during the weekend (May 8) at Sri Lanka Tennis Association court at Colombo 7.
Lt. Gen Balagalle presented merit certificates to winners. Corporal M. D. J. K Manatunge was adjudged winner but the runner-up was secured by Private J. Berty Silva. Mrs Gnana Balagalle, SLTA President Mr. Suresh Subramanium, Mr Lionel Almeida, Chief Executive Officer SLTA and a host of Senior Officers and Guests too graced the occasion. The South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT) sponsored the event.
The Army\'s Tennis Committee, initiated in 2002 with the assistance of SLTA under the auspices of the Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army Lt. Gen. L. P Balagalle comprises twenty seven fully-committed differently-able soldiers, who sacrificed their arms and limbs to defend Sri Lanka's territorial integrity.
The Army, in its efforts to motivate these soldiers and train them for wheelchair tennis received the expertise of a British coach some two years back thanks to the sponsorship extended by the SLTA. Later expert trainers from Australia and Netherlands at the request of the International Tennis Federation contributed to these initiatives and the Army\'s cause.
These Army sportsmen on wheel-chairs within a span of three years since of their inception reached the international standards at a marvelous pace and have now entered the B-Grade after showing their talents in Thailand, France, Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia.
Prior to this forthcoming Para-Olympics Tournament in Athens,Greece in September 2004, these Army players are being trained by renowned world-class coaches from Netherlands.
One of them, a National Coach from Netherlands Mr Aad Zwaan, who took an enormous interest in this training project, donated eight wheelchairs each worth Rs.200, 000 and a stock of tennis rackets to these Army sportsmen. Mr. Mikel Schefferf from Netherlands too assists this training.
Saturday\'s tournament was contested by Army\'s 27 tennis players but only two of them got qualified to proceed to the Para Olympics in Greece. Six others contesting the tournament will tour Malaysia and Singapore later during this year representing Sri Lanka.
