International Schools Athletic Championships (ISAC) 2017 from 25 to 27 February

The International Schools’ Athletic Championships (ISAC), which commenced in 2001 and was the brainchild of Founder late R. I. T. Alles of Gateway College, has now established itself as the biggest national flagship sporting event in the school calendar of 25 international schools affiliated with The International Schools of Sri Lanka (TISSL).

In 2004, Lyceum International School, Nugegoda, took over the responsibility of organizing this prestigious event from Gateway College, which had organised it for three years since its inception in 2001. Thereafter, the hosting of the ISAC kept alternating between the two schools every three years. In 2015, Lyceum took over the reins from Gateway College once again, to serve as the official organiSer for the next three consecutive years – 2016, 2017 and 2018.

ISAC 2017 is scheduled to be held on 25, 26 and 27 February at the Diyagama Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium, Homagama, Sri Lanka from 0800 hrs to 1800 hrs on all three days.

This year’s ISAC has special significance for Lyceum as this will be the eighth time that it will be taking over the organisation of such a challenging meet. Around 3,000 athletes from 24 international schools will compete in 130 events for both boys and girls. Over 20,000 spectators including students, parents, relatives, staff members and cheering squads from TISSL member schools and those participating, are expected to be present.

The ISAC is conducted in accordance with the competition rules and regulations of both TISSL as well as the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) and will include electronic timing and measurements. The competition will also be conducted by over 300 officials as per the rules of the Amateur Athletic Association of Sri Lanka. Each competitor will also be given a unique Identity Card by TISSL for easy identification.

The ISAC is also now fully computerized with real-time web based entries to instantly access results and scores over the Internet via the ISAC website http://isac.lyceum.lk, which was designed and developed by the Department of Information Technology of Lyceum International School, Nugegoda. This user-friendly website will provide all necessary information including past meet records, the current sponsorship proposal and a full list of competitors for this year’s meet.

ISAC 2017 Chairperson and Lyceum International Schools Coordinating Principal Kumari Grero stated that over the past 17 years’ existence of the ISAC, the standard of athletics has advanced to an extent where TISSL member schools have not only been able to produce skilled, professional athletes capable of representing Sri Lanka at international track and field athletic championships abroad, but also produce well-balanced global citizens as well. She also stated that organising an event of this magnitude would not be possible if not for the continuous support received from esteemed service providers both in higher education and the consumer market, who have always come forward to support extra-curricular activities of this nature, in their bid to promote healthy minds in a healthy body as well as team work and leadership. 

Sponsorship is what the TISSL association strongly believe to be a business relationship that is mutually beneficial to both the sponsoring company and the beneficiaries as it helps service providers promote their good services and products to their target market – i.e. the youth of the international schools’ community in Sri Lanka.

At the last press conference, Lyceum International Schools Sri Lanka Director Nikitha Grero said: “The ISAC is not just an athletic meet, it is also a time of renewing old friendships and building new ones as we meet all our colleagues as well as new friends from other International Schools. Though the true spirit of sportsmanship is to learn to face defeat, our competitors aim should be victory at all times by fair means.”

This year’s ISAC will be sponsored by several esteemed organisations; Pearson Education will serve as the Principal Sponsor of the ISAC 2017 and Revello Chocolate have taken Co-Sponsorship. McDonald’s Sri Lanka has joined as one of the Special Sponsors and also very generously stepped up to support this event. Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. teams up as the Main Print and Web Media Sponsor and China Lanka Education as the Gold Medal sponsor. 

Other sponsors are Insomnia Ltd, Universal College Lanka, Reckitt Benckiser Ltd., Hatton National Bank Kohuwala Customer Centre, Edu-Geek and Planet Education – Aus Study Gateway. The advertisers who have come forward to support this event are: Edlocate Ltd., Lameer & Lameer, Nawaloka College of Higher Studies, Litro Gas and Colombo Academy of Hospitality Management.

Grero expressed her heartfelt gratitude towards all the sponsors who came forward to support the ISAC; she was especially delighted that several service providers both in higher education and other service sectors in Sri Lanka have also generously stepped up to support this prestigious event and she hopes that it will be, yet another successful event.

TISSL member schools competing in this year’s ISAC

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1. Asian International School

2. Alethea International School

3. Belvoir College International

4. The British School in Colombo

5. Burhani Serendib School

6. Colombo International School, Colombo

7. Colombo International School, Kandy

8. Elizabeth Moir International School

9. Gateway College, Colombo

10. Gateway College, Kandy

11. Ilma International Girls School

12. Leeds International School

13. Lyceum International School, Nugegoda

14. Lyceum International School, Panadura

15. Lyceum International School, Ratnapura

16. Lyceum International School, Wattala

17. Leighton Park International School

18. OKI International School

19. The Overseas School of Colombo

20. Regent International College

21. Royal Institute, Colombo

22. Stafford International School

23. St. Nicholas International College

24. Wycherley International School