St. Joseph’s, Ladies’ and Lyceum Wattala win Milo Swimming Championship
It was a meet packed with records, surprises and power-packed performances, with a remarkable 15 new meet records being shattered. In a performance that would make any coach proud, St. Joseph’s, coached by veteran Ruwan Manawadu and Dr. Kaushal Manawadu, amassed a staggering 562 points, leaving their closest rivals far behind. Ananda College battled valiantly but could only settle for 268 points to finish second, while Lyceum Wattala secured third with 238.5 points. The Josephians showed once more that when it comes to school swimming in Sri Lanka, they are in a league of their own — setting the pace from the first race to the last relay.
Boys’ Diving Champions: Royal College
If St. Joseph’s ruled the boys’ section, it was Ladies’ College who splashed to glory in the Girls’ Championship. Their consistent team effort earned them 349 points, fending off a strong challenge from Lyceum Wattala, who collected 280 points, while a spirited Musaeus College finished third with 264 points.
In the Mixed School category, Lyceum Wattala enjoyed a week to remember. With a colossal total of 518.5 points, they comfortably cruised past Lyceum Gampaha (311.5 points) and Lyceum Nugegoda (197 points). The Lyceum swimming machine continues to roll on with depth and class showing through in every event, underlining their status as a formidable force in schools’ aquatic sports.
The meet also saw several future stars of Sri Lankan swimming making a big splash in their respective age group championships. Nic de Silva of Lyceum Wattala and Christina Perumal of Asian International School took the Under-20 Boys’ and Girls’ titles. In the Under-18 category, Zahira College’s M.F. Muhammad and Lehara Melegoda of Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda claimed the top spots. The Under-16 category was dominated by Jayden de Silva of Stafford International School and Rushalee Dissanayake of Musaeus College, while in the Under-14 age group, Hashel Senarath of Gateway College, Colombo and Mindhe Piyasena of Good Shephard’s Convent, Panadura took home the honours.
Girls’ Diving Champions: Bishop's College
While the swimmers fought it out in the lanes, the diving pool was firmly in the grip of Royal College and Bishop’s College, as they once again retained their titles in dominant fashion. Royal College, under the watchful eye of long-serving coach Chanaka Wickramasinghe, piled up 184 points, far ahead of S. Thomas’ College, who managed 65 points, while Colombo International School secured the third place with 30 points.
The Royalists’ charge was led by Yusuf Shihar, who claimed the Under-20 Boys’ Diving Championship with 30 points, and Ruel Wickramaratne, who dominated the Under-16 Boys’ category with another 30 points. Their performance left no room for debate about Royal College’s continued reign in the sport.
In the Girls’ diving division, Bishop’s College produced another flawless display under coach Kasun de Silva, collecting 147 points to leave St. Bridget’s Convent (78 points) and joint third-placed Visakha Vidyalaya and Buddhist Ladies’ College (25 points each) in their wake. Leading the charge for Bishop’s were Imaya Perera, who became the Under-20 Girls’ Joint Champion alongside Kisara Ranawaka of St. Bridget’s Convent, with both collecting 25 points each. Micheala Kurukulaarachchi took the Under-14 Girls’ title, sharing the top spot with Shirel Wickramaratne of St. Bridget’s Convent, as both divers finished on 20 points.
Girls’ Swimming Champions: Ladies' College
Other notable performers in the diving competitions included Gayanka Wickramasinghe of S. Thomas’ College, who secured the Under-14 Boys’ title with 24 points, Ameesha Rankothgedera of Buddhist Ladies’ College, who captured the Under-16 Girls’ championship with 25 points, and Vinudi Kankanamge of Visakha Vidyalaya, who won the Under-18 Girls’ category with an identical 25 points.
Adding to the significance of the occasion, Prime Minister and Minister of Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya graced the closing ceremony as the chief guest. A vital force behind the success of this prestigious championship has been Milo, the trusted sponsor who has powered this event continuously for over three decades. Year after year, Milo has stood firmly with the nation’s young swimmers and divers, providing a grand platform for over 5,000 athletes from more than 200 schools across the island.
Mixed Schools Champions: Lyceum International School Wattala
Boys’ Swimming Champions: St. Josephs College Pix by Eshan Fernando