A tribute on the eve of his retirement from international competition
Manjula Kumara Wijesekera
Manjula competed internationally until he was 34 years old, a great achievement and an example to our athletes. I stopped competing in Sri Lanka in 1962 when I was 28 because the Sri Lanka athletics hierarchy and the general population assumed that I was over the hill. It was general thinking in those days that 30 is too old for an athlete, even though Duncan White was 31 when he won Silver at the 1948 Olympics and 33 when he won Gold at the Empire Games. There are many examples of athletes who competed at the international level past the age of 35. Susanthika was thought to be ‘over the hill’ at 30 by not only the general athletic community but also the officials. She proved them wrong by winning a Bronze at the 2007 IAAF. I performed exhibition jumps in Sri Lanka when I was 31, 39, and my last one in Kilinochchi in 1994 when I was 60 where I jumped 1.85 metres. I would like to see Manjula continue to demonstrate the form he has perfected since 2003.
In Los Angeles, where I live, I first read about Manjula in 2001 in an online newspaper when he jumped 2.10m in Hungary. The newspaper gave the name of his school. I wrote to the Principal and wanted to know about his vital statistics, studies, coach, and family. He responded to me promptly. Coach Keerthi, his English teacher, and Manjula also responded and he included his picture. In 2002 when I was in Sri Lanka, I attended a track meet at Torrington. I missed his jumping on grass where he jumped 2.15m and was selected to go to Jamaica for the 2002 IAAF World Youth (U-18) Championship. I spoke to the field announcer, Mr. Fernando, and requested that he announce that I wanted to see Manjula. Mr. Fernando then interpreted our conversation. Mr. Prema Pinnawela, whom I have known since 1994, came and gave all the information about Manjula’s selection to go to Jamaica for a Youth track meet. He and coach Keerthi agreed that both of them will travel via Los Angeles and stay with me for a week of training before going to Jamaica. I watched Manjula jump every other day with his coach, who spoke English, helping to translate. His form was very good and I noted that Keerthi and Manjula had an excellent working relationship.
I observed Manjula’s foot placement at take-off was such that his foot pointed away from the bar instead of pointing towards the opposite post at the point of foot plant. I filmed his entire jump from different angles. When we went home I showed the clips to Manjula and Keerthi, especially the take-off where his ankle twisted to a dangerous level and asked him to work on it when they get home. Manjula jumped 2.18m in Jamaica and qualified for the final while also establishing a new Sri Lanka record. But in the finals the next day he jumped 2.15m. The jumper who won that day was his future teammate at the University of Southern California (USC) which Manjula would attend in January 2005.
Manjula was selected for the 2002 Asian Games in October 2002 where he had a chance to medal, but fate was against him. Tragedy struck when his brother was killed in a motorcycle accident. I was in Colombo when the team got together at the AA office. Through Keerthi and I tried to comfort him, he was devastated. I felt for him as I had gone through a similar experience. My brother, N. Pararajasingam, died in a car accident in California 10 days before the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta. On the day I left for the Games my brother’s ashes arrived in Colombo. Manjula’s best a few months earlier had been 2.18m. 2.19m won Silver and Bronze. The loss of a brother affects the heart and soul of a person and questions arise of life and its meaning and the temporary nature of our existence. I was at the end of my high jumping career when tragedy struck suddenly and unexpectedly. I remember Akbar who won Silver in the First Asian Games in Delhi in 1950 lost his life in a motorcycle accident just before the National championships in 1951.
Manjula’s career in high jumping and university was just beginning when he lost his brother. He also took care of his mother after she was diagnosed with cancer. He did all a son could do to save his mother who had nurtured him throughout her hard family life. It was some solace to her that she was able to experience Manjula taking part in the 2004 Athens Olympics and winning Gold medals in two Asian Championships and most importantly she lived to see her son graduate with a degree in Economics from the prestigious University of Southern California. I was not fortunate to see my mother’s happiness during my athletic or academic career. She passed away in 1946 when I was 12 due to tuberculosis.
Sportsperson, their families, and coaches have a deep understanding of each other and their lives beyond sports irrespective of their national, ethnic, religious or linguistic backgrounds. Sports bind all sportspersons. Be it the Olympic Spirit or the Spirit of Cricket, it goes beyond constitutions and laws. Sports associations need to have counsellors to help athletes cope with the tragedies and stresses that they face during and after their competitive careers. Unfortunately, hardly any schools in Sri Lanka have counsellors that are qualified to counsel students, teachers, and sportspersons. The sports associations should take the lead in this area.
I was sure that Manjula has the talent to be a high jumper at the international level and the ability to enter an American university. In 2003 I spoke to Mr. Prema Pinnawela, who was Secretary to the AASL, and asked him to send Manjula to Los Angeles to stay with me and my family. While with us he could train under my supervision and compete in open Track and Field meets in the Los Angeles area. He could also learn English intensively and prepare for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). This would give him the opportunity to earn a full Track and Field scholarship to a top university.
So Manjula joined my family. He went to English classes from 8 am to 12 noon. In the afternoons we alternated between the gym and the track. He did his English homework and learned to use a computer. No one in my family spoke Sinhalese so Manjula had to learn to speak English very quickly.
He was a good student and an intelligent athlete who learned quickly. He learned to drive and got his license. He was jumping 2.20m regularly in practice and reached 2.25m in meets. As a result, many universities were interested to give him a scholarship if he could do well on the SAT examination. He did and, with the offer of a full scholarship, chose to enter the University of Southern California. All the coaches and officials he encountered in track meets liked his personality and demeanour.
In early 2004 after living with us for 7 months he left to qualify for the Athens Olympics. He jumped 2.27m. After the Olympic Games, he entered university in January 2005. He was unfortunate to get injured before international games a few times and an ankle injury in 2006 was severe enough that he had to sit out a full year and he returned home to Sri Lanka to rest and recuperate.
All the trials and tribulations have made Manjula a great humanitarian, coach, and a gentleman athlete who is now ready to retire from active competition. But, thankfully, he is preparing himself to contribute to sports improvement and development in Sri Lanka. It is only fitting for Manjula to be offered an opportunity to jump as a guest participant at a warm-up meet for athletes selected for the SAG. An athlete who has served the country well deserves to have a farewell meet.
Carl Van Geyzel established the first Ceylon record in 1927 which was broken after 9 years by H.A.Perera in 1936. I broke his record in 1953. Maximus Fernando broke it on the new synthetic track at the Sugathadasa Stadium in 1990 SAF Games I think.Then there were two floppers, one of whom is Sapramadu who held it until Manjula established the record in 2002 and 2003 at 2.18, In 2004 he raised his own mark to 2.27m. In 2009 no one has jumped higher than 2.15m. Records are meant to be broken sooner or later. Manjula’s performance is a target for others who will follow to excel. May they be as worthy as Manjula to raise the record to new heights.
My family and I wish Manjula and his wife all the best in life.