It was Asian Games in Bangkok in 1966 and after the tough heats and heated semi finals Six of Asia’s Best Cyclists including an Olympic Medalist lined up for the Grand Finals. The track was four laps of 400 metres.
In lane six was then Ceylon Star Rider 24 year from Moratuwa an Old Boy from two of the Prestigious Catholic Schools in the island St.Sebastians College Moratuwa and St.Josephs College Colombo. It was none other than Trevor de Silva.
Soon after the start the competitors were moving about 50 kilometres per hour. Suddenly there was a touch of wheels and the rider in front of him crashed and his cycle bounced off the track and hit Trevor around his upper body.
The impact cracked his collar bone and injured his hand too. The other rider was rushed to the hospital. Trevor brushed aside assistance and remounted. He further added that he went in pursuit of the fast moving bunch and after a high speed chase with speeds upto 65 KMPH on the straights and bike handling which defied the laws of Physics he won a Bronze Medal for Ceylon now Sri Lanka and it was the first ever international cycling medal at a major event.
His colleague the Lake House Daily News Correspondent the late Carlton Seneviratne who was covering the event was certain that if not for the accident Trevor would have certainly won a God Medal for his country and after a few days ignoring Medical Advice and displaying extra ordinary courage Trevor won another Bronze Medal. What a courageous act.
He told me that when he was young he used to ride to Darley Road from Moratuwa and during this period the streets are not busy like nowadays and no road blocks, barriers no demonstrations or tear gas and he used to leave home at 7 a.m. and by 7.30 he is at college and in the afternoon too he leaves his alma mater at 3 p.m. and home for tea at 3.30 p.m. it helped him to develop his Cycling Skills.
Trevor was positive about his cycling career. Even as a teenager after winning National Schools Championship he believed that one or other day he will win a medal at the Asian Games. He focused on training harder. Every Rider has a specific aim.
In 2008 Trevor and former Sri Lanka Olympic Cyclist Maurice Coomaravel received National Sporting awards from the Ministry of Sports at the BMICH and in 2014 Trevor and his wife Mrs.Anne de Silva were invited by the Sri Lankan Government to the grand opening of the New Sports Complex at the Ministry of Sports where he and other eleven sporting greats were awarded Gold Medals by the former Sri Lanka President and the present Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa the highest and most professional civilian honour and Trevor was featured on Hall of fame at the Ministry of Sports.
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