The Army Inter-Regiment Swimming and Water Polo Championship-2011 that annually grooms swimmers of high standards to the country's national pool had its final closing ceremony Thursday (1) evening at Panagoda Army Cantonment where the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya as the Chief Guest became an onlooker to the final feats of the event.
A total of 319 swimmers, including 27 woman swimmers representing almost all the regiments in the Army vied with one another for supremacy during the three-day (Nov 29,30 & Dec 1) long tournament, organized by the Army Swimming and Water Polo Committee, chaired by Brigadier D. Weerasekara.
Championships in swimming events, conducted under Novices (men & women) and Open (men & women) categories were comfortably won by Sri Lanka Armoured Corps (SLAC) (59 points) under Men's category and Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR) (66 points) under Open category respectively infusing a new round of vigour and enthusiasm. Water Polo competed by nine teams selected the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment players as Champions, pushing Sri Lanka Army Ordnance Corps to be the runners-up.
3 Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps (SLAWC) with 20 points (novices category) and 4 SLAWC with 15 points (women's open category) emerged victorious respectively sending a new wave of enthusiasm among female competitors.
Three equally talented swimmers, Corporal S. A. S Subasinghe of SLAC, Rifleman T. H. J. S. L Silva of SLSR and Private R. B Harshan of Gajaba Regiment in the men's Open category co-shared their merit awards as Best Swimmers in the tournament while Trooper W. N. E Abeysinghe of SLAC was adjudged the Best Swimmer in the Novices (men's) category.
In the women's Open and Novices categories Private R. W De Soysa of 4 SLAWC and Private I. M. I Lakmali of 2 SLAWC respectively won the events to be best female swimmers.
Commander of the Army, extending his best wishes to all winners and regimental teams awarded Championship trophies and more than ten other merit trophies to the winners as the final segment of the day's proceedings. Brigadier D. Weerasekara, Chairman, Army Swimming and Water Polo Committee and a large gathering of senior officers, other ranks and other invitees witnessed the closing sessions.
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