Nineteen year old Liyana Mendis Gawesha Sandewmini is the Games Captain of her school and she is a fine short distance runner who has brought honour to her Alma Mater St. John’s College, Panadura. In addition to athletics she has excelled in Arabic Gymnastics and in the Inter House Level she has taken part in volleyball, netball, Elle, Badminton and Chess.
Gawesha’s first school was Vishaka Vidyalaya, Kuliyapitiya upto grade four and her forte is Athletics. But there was no athletics in her school and she did Arabic Gymnastics and won the events and from there she shifted to St. John’s College, Panadura in 2012 and in the Group Event at the Kalutara Zonal Meet her school gained the first place and in the Provincial Meet Panadura Johnians clinched the Trophy. During this period they were trained by Major Ravindra Mendis and in the following year they were the All Island Group “B” Champions.
In the meantime she started athletics and did High Jump, Long Jump, and 100 metres At the school 2012 sports meet she did the same events and swept the board and became the Champion and later she won the under 15, 16, 18 and 20 Championships consecutively nine times. It is an all time record for Panadura Johnians and perhaps it may be a record in the all island schools.
She was the Divisional Champion from 2015 to 2020 In 2015 and 2016 she came second in the Kalutara Zonal meets. In 2020 in the Provincial Meet she came up to Qualifying Level and in 2015 and 2016 she came up to Best Eight Athletes in the Kalutara Zone and again she was placed fourth and was selected for the All Island Meet in 2017. She came third in the John Tarbet Meet held in Biyagama and was awarded colours. From time to time her coaches were Nimal Dharmaratne and Prasanna Peiris and the teachers in Charge were Mrs. Jeewani Kumari, Mrs. Rohini Hettiarachchi and Mrs. Sanduni Gamage.
She was the School Games Captain in 2019 and this year she was appointed as House Captain. She was placed in her events in the NYSF Council Sports Meet and also gained places at the Inter Divisional Secretariat Sports Competition sponsored by the Ministry of Telecomunication and Foreign Employment.
A former Principal Darshana Peiris and present Principal Mrs. Sandya Priyadarshani and Prefect of Games Deepal Piyatissa supported her at all times to achieve success.
