Bishop’s College Intermediate Diving Team:
Kneeling (left to right) – Amber La Brooy, Michaela Kurukulaarachchi, Thulasi Perera, Aleena Aniff Standing (left to right) – Sachin Nilupul (Assistant Coach), Imaaya Perera (Captain), Heshalee Pushpawansa, Anira Gunasekera, Shakirah Dean, Aneeqa Aniff, Hamshini Ganeshan, Sineli Weerakoon (Vice Captain), Sivamalini Selvaraja (Teacher-In-Charge).
Royal College and Bishop’s College clinched the titles at the 2nd Intermediate Diving Championship organized by the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU). The event, held at the Sugathadasa Stadium Swimming Pool Complex from April 27 to 28, excelled young divers from various schools across the country.
In the Boys category, Royal College emerged victorious with an impressive total of 178 points, securing their place as champions. St. Joseph’s College followed closely behind in second place with 106 points, while S Thomas’ College secured the third spot.
Meanwhile, in the Girls category, Bishop’s College celebrated a hard-fought victory, edging past St. Bridget’s Convent by a narrow margin of two points. With a total of 92 points, Bishop’s College claimed their consecutive title, leaving St. Bridget’s Convent with 90 points in second place. Visakha Vidyalaya secured the third position.
The competition featured seven age categories, ranging from Under 09 to Open age groups, providing a platform for novice and intermediate divers to perform. Notably, this championship serves as a stepping stone for divers to qualify for national age group competitions, with the top six divers in each event earning intermediate qualification.
Coached by Chanaka Wickramasinghe, both Royal College and St. Bridget’s Convent displayed significant improvement throughout the championship. Novices Diving Champions also joined the competition, adding to the competitive spirit.
Among the standout performers was Under-15 athlete Ariya Agunuwela from St. Bridget’s Convent, who shone brightly by clinching the gold medal in the 1m Springboard event, showing exceptional potential.
Despite the absence of several players due to London ALs exams, the championship witnessed intense competition and outstanding performances from participating schools, highlighting the depth of talent in Sri Lanka’s diving sport.
With Royal College and Bishop’s College emerging as champions, the 2nd Intermediate Diving Championship not only celebrated the achievements of these talented young divers but also SLASU organized this event as a platform to inspire athletes to pursue excellence in the national level in the future.
Sajeewa Jayakody