The Southern Province school swimming trio from Matara, K. W. Vihanga Dilmini (18 years) of Sujatha Vidyalaya, Abhiman Wellappili (18 years) and Shazan Azeem Inthaaj (15 years) both from Rahula College are ready to create open water schools swimming history when they swim through the Polk Strait covering a distance of 30Kms from Mannar to Dhanushkodi, India on March 26.
Meanwhile 31-year-old Roshan Abeysundera of Sri Lanka Air Force, an old boy of Matara Central College will join the trio to set up a new Guinness Record by swimming from Mannar to Danuskodi, Rameshwaran in India vise versa covering a distance of 59.3Kms. Roshan created a new National open water record by swimming a distance of 49Kms from Matara to Hikkaduwa and back to Unawatuna on February 27 with a timing of 23h.10secs in preparation for the Guinness Record attempt.
The trio set up a new schools National open water record by swimming the longest distance of 15Kms from Matara to Midigama on January 3. Vihanga took 7h:52m.14s to complete the full distance while Shazan clocked 7h:51m.43s. Shazan’s impressive timing earned him another two schools National records (longest distance swim by a schoolboy and under-16 age group record for longest distance). Abhiman recorded a timing of 7h:53m.53s to complete 15Kms.
All three swimmers are representing Polhena Swimming Club (PSC) and trained by its head coach and Mountbatten Medalist (2006), FINA Level II and ASCA (American Swimming Coaching Association) Level III coach Dr. K.W. Yasaratne who is also a senior examiner at the Royal Life Saving Society – England and former chief examiner of the Life Saving Association of Sri Lanka. Yasaratne has over 35 years experience in life saving and swimming coaching and is the compiler of the swimming guide book titled ‘Scientific and Technical Swimming Training’. Yasaratne is also the father of champion swimmer Vihanga Dilmini, the only girl among the three. The two assistant coaches Sugath Madhuwantha and H. G. Ajantha attached to the PSC are also doing a great job by guiding these school swimmers in their record breaking attempt.
Vihanga is a grade 12 Bio Science student and has a star studded swimming career. She is the school age category champion for nine consecutive years. She became the girls champion at the Polhena 2km swim in 2010 while being the youngest to compete in that year. Vihanga has been a regular competitor at the Polhena 2km swim and has recorded many victories (2011 – 2nd, 2012 – 1st and youngest, 2013 – 3rd, 2014 – 3rd, 2015- 2nd). She was the youngest competitor at the Ambalangoda 2Km sea swim in 2012 and became the Best Swimmer of the U-16 age category at the National level swimming meet conducted by the Sports Ministry and SLASU (Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union) in 2017.
Rahulite Abhiman is a Commerce stream grade 12 student who has stamped his class in swimming by winning multiple events at school and district level meets with his main events being 100m – 200m freestyle and breaststroke. He won the second place at the Polhena 2km Sea Swim in 2018. He is an initial level certificate holder from the Royal Life Saving Society – UK and New Zealand.
The youngest of the trio, Shazan is a grade nine student and has won many accolades at school level competitions. He was the age category champion swimmer at school sports meet in 2016 and won the second place in 200m freestyle event at the 2017 Southern Province School Games. Shazan won a Merit Award for swimming at the school colours night in 2018. He is one of the youngest swimmers to record victories at the annual Polhena 2km sea swim in 2017, 2018, 2019. Shazan is a multifaceted sportsman and has excelled in athletics, badminton and chess at the school level.
“We have been practicing for this record from a long time under the watchful eyes of our coach Yasaratne. We are very confident of achieving this milestone and make our schools and country proud. The sad part is we had to do all by ourselves. Except for the support from Polhena Swimming Club and life guards, parents of the swimmers, coaches and well-wishers, there is no proper mechanism to bring forth the bottom level talent to the National level and beyond by providing needed facilities such as sponsorships, jobs, enhanced training opportunities etc. We hope the Sports Minister will consider our appeal to formulate a strong structure to all sports where the potential sportsmen and women can be fully committed to their task instead of wasting their time, talent and spirit by begging help from sponsors, media and officials. Such a mechanism will be the only solution if Sri Lanka is to conquer the international sports arena where only the most talented will represent the country, the swimmers said.
The swimmers also thank their sponsors Lalanka Pvt. Ltd, Polhena Diving Centre, Fern bottled water, Sri Lanka Coast Guards, SL Navy, Tourist Board, Ocean University – Galle, Mission Polk Strait sub committee head of PSC – Ajith Alawatta for their enormous support .
