Yashith Wijesundara, representing DS Senanayake College, made an impact at the 48th National Age Group Swimming Championship by shattering the Boys Under-17 800m Freestyle record on the third day of competition at the Sugathadasa Swimming Pool Complex yesterday. The event, organized by the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union, witnessed the establishment of four new meet records.
Wijesundara, a product of the Colombo Swimming Academy under the guidance of coach Janaka Prasad, exhibited exceptional improvement as he clocked 9:14.05, slashing seven seconds off the previous record of 9:21.53 set by Binura Thalagala of Lyceum International School Nugegoda last year. His outstanding performance secured him the gold medal, finishing a commanding 35 seconds ahead of silver medalist Lithum de Silva from Gateway College, who clocked 9:48.28.
In another impressive feat, Chanudi Kumarapperuma of Lyceum International School Nugegoda rewrote a nine-year-old meet record in the Girls Under-17 200m Butterfly final. Training at the Zeefit Sports Club, Kumarapperuma clocked 2:40.46 to clinch the gold medal, erasing the previous record of 2:41.75 set by Hansi Perera in the 2015 National Age Group Championship.
Anjali Aalawatte, representing Zeefit Sports Club and coached by Kaushal Manawadu, marked her name in the record books by setting a new meet record in the Women’s 20 and Over 800m Freestyle final with a time of 10:38.60. Aalawatte surpassed her own previous record of 10:42.59 set in last year’s edition of the championship.
Adding to the excitement, Hashel Senarath of Gateway College Colombo established a new meet record in the Boys Under-13 200m Butterfly event, clocking 2:48.49 to claim the gold medal. Senarath eclipsed the previous record of 2:52.66 set by ST Ratnayake of Trinity College in 2022.
Sajeewa Jayakody