Royal College swimmers, divers excel at international competition in Thailand

Royal College divers - champions at Asian Open Swimming and Diving Championship 2019

 Royal College divers and swimmers

Royal College’s diving and swimming teams, which excelled in most local tournaments last year, performed exceptionally at the Asian Open Swimming and Diving Championship held recently at Thammasat University in Pathumthani, Thailand.

The Royal College team emerged champions in the diving competition, winning four gold, seven silver, and eight bronze medals, while the swimming team emerged fifth out of 10 teams with three gold, 12 silver and 15 bronze medals. 

Competing against their highly competitive peers from Thailand, China and Malaysia, one of Sri Lanka’s most prominent sporting schools displayed a fighting spirit to win the medals. 

In diving, Yusuf Shihar won two gold medals, while Revan Abeyratne and Mikhail Jayaweera won a gold medal each for their school, while in swimming, Sulaiman Shihar won two gold medals in the Under-10 50 metre backstroke and butterfly. The other swimming gold medal was won by the Under-12 freestyle 4X50 relay team comprising Kuvindu Silva, Tehan Gunatilaka, Daham Marambe and Shihar. 

Both teams excelled at the 2019 national age group games and National School Games. 

The swimming team is coached by 1991/1993 SAF Games gold medallist Nishantha De Costa while Sri Lanka ex-national and former Dharmasoka swimmer Kingsly Bandula is the Assistant Coach.

The diving team is coached by Chanaka Wickremesinghe, an Asian Games bronze medallist, while D.A. Jayantha Gunasekara was the Manager of the team, backed by Royal College Senior Games Master Riyaz Aluhar. 

Results: 

Diving 

1m springboard: 

Under 12 - second place - Seniru Rodrigo (134.7 points), third place - Mikhail Jayaweera (132.85 points)

Under 14 – first place - Yusuf Shihar (172.65 points), second place - Revan Abeyratne (168.1 points), third place - Senitha Weerasekera (126 points) 

Under 16 – third place - Matheesha Marambe (243.9 points) 

3m springboard: 

Under 12 – first place - Mikhail Jayaweera (147.9 points), third place - Seniru Rodrigo (133.75 points)

Under 14 – first place - Yusuf Shihar (194.7 points), second place - Revan Abeyratne (190.45 points), third place - Senitha Weerasekera (148.4 points) 

Under 16 – third place - Matheesha Marambe (234.8 points) 

5m platform: 

Under 12 – second place - Mikhail Jayaweera (121.1 points), third place - Seniru Rodrigo (108.45 points)

Under 14 – first place - Revan Abeyratne (146.1 points), second place - Yusuf Shihar (119.1 points)

Under 16 – second place - Matheesha Marambe (210 points), third place - Induwara Gunawardena (191.05 points) 

Swimming

Freestyle: 

50 metres: 

Under 9 – second place - Sulaiman Shihar (37.92 sec), third place - Daham Marambe (41.84 sec) 

Under 11 – second place - Senupa Rathnayake (35.68 sec)

100 metres:  

Under 9 – second place - Sulaiman Shihar (1:25.56)

Under 11 – second place - Senupa Rathnayake (1:21.39)

4X50 metre relay  

Under 11 – First place - Sulaiman Shihar, Kuvindu Silva, Daham Marambe and Tehan Gunathilake (2:38.02)

Under 13 – Third place - Hithesh Jayawardene, Yusuf Shihar, Suvindu Garusinghe, Senupa Rathnayake (2:25.02)

Under 15 – Third place - Vidmal Indiketihewge, Delshan Lasindu, Thisul Fernando, Vimath Nahallage (2:06.23)

4X100 metre relay  

Under 15 – Third place - Vidmal Indiketihewge, Thisul Fernando, Delshan Lasindu and Vimath Nahallage (4:54.97)

Butterfly 

50 metres:  

Under 9 – First place - Sulaiman Shihar (43.70 sec), 3rd place - Daham Marambe (48.99 sec)

Under 11 – second place - Senupa Rathnayake 11 (43.02 sec), third place - Kuvindu Silva (43.94 sec) 

Under 17 – third place - M Nabeel (30.64 sec)

100 metre: 

Under 11 – second place - Senupa Rathnayake (1:41.36 sec) 

Breaststroke 

50 metres:  

Under 9 – second place - Daham Marambe (54.32 sec) 

Under 11 – second place - Tehan Gunathilake (53.34 sec), third place - Emika Batepola (54.62 sec)

200 metres: 

Under 17 – third place – M. Nabeel (2:48.71)

Backstroke

50 metres: 

Under 9 – first place - Sulaiman Shihar (44.73 sec)

Under 11 - second place - Kuvindu Silva (45.96 sec) 

100 metres – backstroke: 

Under 15 – third place - Vidmal Indiketihewge (1:16.96)

Medley 

200 metres individual: 

Under 9 – first place – Daham Marambe (4:05.33)

Under 11 – third place – Senupa Rathnayake (3:25.76)

Under 17 – second place – M. Nabeel (2:41.41)

4X50 meter medley relay: 

Under 11 – second place - Sulaiman Shihar, Tehan Gunathilake, Kuvindu De Silva and Daham Marambe (3:07.40), third place - Emika Batepola, Kevaan De Costa, Thisas Sanuga and Thinal Jayasinghe (3:23.61 96)

Under 13 – third place - Suvindu Garusinghe, Yusuf Shihar, Hithesh Jayawardene and Senupa Rathnayake (2:45.25)

4X100 relay: 

Under 13 - Hithesh Jayawardene, Yusuf Shihar, Suvindu Garusinghe and Senupa Rathnayake (6:45.39)

Under 15 – second place - Vidmal Indiketihewge, Delshan Lasindu, Thisul Fernando and Vimath Nahallage (5:27.28)