The Foundation of Goodness (FoG) has been encouraging sportsmen and sportswomen in Seenigama and its regions to excel in life, by providing sports training, coaching, competition preparation, counselling, friendly matches and sporting equipment & gear – and of course sporting facilities, which are the very training ground.

These efforts to nurture untapped talent in rural youth have shown results, and in recent times quite a few have shone in the areas of cricket, volleyball and swimming.

Impressed and happy with the sporting successes founder/trustee of the Foundation of Goodness (FoG) Kushil Gunasekera says “such exposure and professional training with life skills development are helping us to ride the waves of success and as the saying goes adversity makes some men to break and others to break records which is a classic example in this instance.”

The Bryan Adams Swimming Pool
where budding rural talent train

Also impressed by these sporting successes was a recent visitor to Seenigama photojournalist Dinidu de Alwis. In particular he was interested in the rise to fame of two successful swimmers, both of who he had the chance to meet and photograph in action. He wrote this story about their victories.

Lakruwan & Sandaruwan
At the recently concluded All Island Novices Swimming Championships, two young men who are products of the Brian Adams’ Swimming Pool of the Foundation of Goodness (FoG) excelled, and one was crowned the under 19 novices champion. Lakruwan Wijesiri (18) representing the Seenigama Sri Wimala Budhi Maha Vidyalaya and Chameera Sandaruwan (19)from Sri Sumangala College in Hikkaduwa joined us to talk about their experience, and the path they’ve taken so far.

“I never swam before I came to the pool here for training” starts Sandaruwan about his aquatic adventures. Swimming was a sport that he made a late entry into, even though he was an established cricketer, badminton player and a volleyball player, running for three years as the team captain for the latter.

Sandaruwan is happy with his
achievements in the swimming arena

Despite his late entry into swimming, he managed to secure two bronze medals in the U-19 Novices category, in Freestyle and Backstroke disciplines.

“I just came into the centre to learn swimming, and didn’t think of taking it up as a sport” said Sandaruwan. Then later on his coach Janaka Lal discovered his talent, and he honed Sandaruwan’s skills into becoming a competition swimmer. “For a person who couldn’t swim before, I’m happy about where I’ve come” he adds, reminding us of the fact that he along with his colleague swam for the two-mile swim held at Mount Lavinia beach.

He is multi-faceted talents include music and dance. Sandaruwan competed in national level competitions in folk music, and studies upcountry dancing for his Advanced Level examination.

On the other side of the pool, Lakruwan was crowned the champion of the under 19 category. Lakruwan pocketed the Gold medal in Freestyle, and Silver medals in Dolphin and Breast Stroke disciplines.

Lakruwan is intent on pursuing
competitive swimming

“I used to swim in the ocean for fun”, he recollects. “Then I came to the pool and started training various disciplines, and later on took on swimming as a competitive sport.”

Lakruwan was also an avid volleyball player before, but now has focused his attention on swimming. “I want to continue swimming as a competitive sport, so to avoid injuries I gave up other sports” he says.

Both Lakruwan and Sandaruwan are currently undergoing training at the Seenigama Diving School & Training Centre, and are a few months away from the completion of the programme. Both want to build their employment around bodies of water. “I want to be a life guard” says Lakruwan, and Sandaruwan’s aim is to pursue diving professionally. Two boys, who beat the waves, are now using the same waves to build up their lives.
(Photo credit Dinidu de Alwis)

Another Swimming Star
Just this weekend, another swimming star from Seenigama, emerged successful.

KGG Dilanjali emerges after winning
a 6-mile sea swim

K.G.G. Dilanjali(18) of the Seenigama Aquatic Club won the 6 mile sea swim held at Wellawatte by the Colombo based Kinross Swimming & Lifesaving Club. She swam from Wellawatte to Mt. Lavinia and back to Wellawatte, clocking 2:50:27. Dilanjali regained the title after winning it for the first time in 2007. Last year she swam the race too, but finished second.

An A/Level commerce student of P.De.S. Kularatne Maha Vidyalaya in Ambalangoda, Dilanjali has been training at the Bryan Adams Swimming Pool with female coach Yamuna Shyamali, under the guidance of head coach Janaka Lal.

In the past Dilanjali has won many other competitions too, including all-island competitions, in which she has secured 1st 2nd and 3rd positions.

Stories such as these successes of youth from rural areas are all the more sweet. It underscores that with the right facilities and opportunities latent talent can be harnessed to reach competitive levels and achieve success.

"You can't put a limit on anything.
The more you dream, the farther you get."
- Michael Phelps

2009.03.23