Royal College swordsmen make clean sweep of Schools Fencing 2025
View(s):Royal College, Colombo clinched the Inter-School Fencing Tournament 2025, competed for the Dian Gomes Challenge Cup, leaving rivals in the dust at what was hailed as the biggest school fencing event ever in Sri Lanka. The Royalists cut through the competition dominating all age categories — Under-20, Under-18, Under-16, Under-14, and Under-12 — to emerge as overall champions.
The grand tournament was held under the patronage of World Boxing and Asian Boxing Director and proud old Royalist, Dian Gomes, at the Royal MAS Arena in Colombo last weekend. Captain Janidu Waduge and vice captain Kesara Dissanayake led the charge, ensuring Royal’s fencers stayed on point and struck the right balance between attack and defence throughout the fiercely contested bouts.
-
- Royal’s Sethika Wijesinghe was adjudged the Best Fencer and he receives the trophy from Dian Gomes, the chief guestw
-
- Wickramasheela National School captain receives the Ajith Siyambalapitiya Trophy from chief guest Dian Gomes
-
- Royal captain Janidu Waduge (left) and vice captain Kesara Dissanayake receive the Dian Gomes Challenge Cup 2025 from the chief guest Dian Gomes himself
-
- The victorious Royal College fencing team celebrate their triumph in the Dian Gomes Challenge Cup 2025
Wickramasheela National School, Giriulla, proved to be a tough contender, putting up a strong fight to claim the Ajith Siyambalapitiya Trophy presented for the runners-up, a remarkable feat for the rural fencing powerhouse. Royal’s Sethika Wijesinghe, who marked his way to become the Best Fencer of the Tournament in the Under-14 Sabre event, added yet another feather in Royal’s cap.
The tournament drew over 200 fencers from all the boys schools which play fencing from across the island, signalling the rapid rise of fencing as a competitive school sport in Sri Lanka. Beyond the medals, the event showcased Dian Gomes’ visionary leadership, providing a national platform for young fencers and motivating more schools to take up the sport.
Royal’s triumph was supervised under the expert guidance of coach Roshan Sameera, teacher-in-charge Chandani Ediriweera, and the support of the school administration, including the Principal and the Fencing Advisory Committee, who have been instrumental in nurturing the sport within the school.4: