Plea for Bogambara stadium
Kandy’s one and only public playing field, the Bogambara Stadium needs proper care. Sports are so popular in Kandy, especially at school level, that there is a crying need for a top class sporting venue with a swimming pool.
The Bogambara Stadium owned by the Municipal Council at one time is now under the Sports Ministry. At one time the Municipal Council helped many sports. It was Kandy Sports Club’s headquarters. Football clubs like Young Stars SC, Young Wanderers SC, Greenfield SC, Kandy YMMA and schools like St. Anthony’s, Sri Rahula, St. Paul’s (now known as Sri Sumangala), Trinity, Dharmaraja and Kingswood used this venue to conduct their sports activities.
Bogambara was renovated into a stadium in 1972. In 1998 Anuruddha Ratwatte, when he was the deputy Defence Minister, took over to upgrade the ground in preparation for the Independence Day celebrations. After the renovation the Sports Minister took over the ground.
At present the ground fees have been jacked up that the less affluent clubs cannot afford to pay such high fees. Only rugby is played there as schools can raise the money through sponsorships. The sporting fraternity of Kandy is hopeful that the present Sports Minister will come up with some solutions that will help the poor clubs and schools to conduct their sporting activities.
Osandi, Krethikeshini represent Sri Lanka
Osandi Ariyasena (Under 15) and Krethikeshini Kirubakaran (Under 13) of Gateway College represented Sri Lanka at the 54th Malaysia Invitational Age Group Swimming Championship in Malaysia.
Tickets prices skyrocket at school’s rugby?
There is a fear that school rugby crowds could drop if ticket prices are not kept in check. School rugby followers say that at present match tickets are exorbitantly high and not affordable to many in Kandy.
Except for Trinity which has their own ground, the rest of the schools have to depend on other venues for which they pay high rates and to make up for this they jack up ticket prices to meet their expenditure.
Vidyartha, St. Sylvester’s, Dharmaraja, Kingswood, Sri Sumangala, St. Anthony’s and Rahula have no grounds of their own and spend an average Rs. 75,000 as ground fees for a match of which 25 per cent goes for entertainment tax. When they use the Bogambara Stadium the injuries to players soar due to the hardness of the ground.
Kulatunge to continue
The Kandy Club AGM is schedule to take place soon. It is said that the general opinion of the membership is that the incumbent president KMR Kulatunga should continue as president. They say he is a man with good control and has the respect of both the members and staff. He keeps the club going with its ambiance which is essential to the club. In his two terms the membership was convinced that he goes on for another term for the benefit of all concerned.
Unlike in the past a president-elect had to be guided by senior members to nominate the Committee for appointment but now he can select his Committee to serve.
LV Jayaweera boxing
The Kandy schools boxing contingent gave a good account of themselves at the 5th L.V. Jayaweera boxing meet held in Kandy at the Dheerananda MMV Boxing Hall at Pilimatalawa. Trinity College took the second place while Vidyartha College finished third. The championship title went to Mahanama College. Some 64 schools were seen in action.
At last schools football
At present club football in Kandy is dead and buried, but thanks to the Education Department of the Central Province Kingswood College emerged champions while the second place went to Zahira College Gampola in the schools tournament worked off recently. In the girls segment Vihara Mahadevi emerged champions and Pilawala MV were runners-up. The finals were played with the patronage of the sporting Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake.
Haroon Aslam wins golf tourney
Haroon Aslam a 14 year old product of Ecole International School became the youngest player to win the 2018 Mark Bostock Memorial Golf Tournament at the Victoria Golf and Country Resort. The runner-up was Louise Huxtable and the Men’s Gross winner was Rohitha Batepola and runner-up Chamara Abeyratne. The Women’s Gross winner was Louise Huxtable and runner-up Niloo Jayathilaka. The senior men’s winner was M. Elangasinghe and women’s winner Pauline Morley