Royal College with 44 points emerged winners in the boys’ category while Ave Maria Convent Negombo won the girls’ category with 83 points at the Ritzbury Sir John Tarbat Junior Schools Athletic Championship 2023 that concluded on November 5 at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Trinity College finished runners-up with 42.5 points among the boys and Lyceum Wattala secured runners-up with 57 points among the girls respectively.
S Pribasith of St. Thomas’ Prep College, High Jump 1.90m U-15 (827 points) was adjudged the best male athlete while PRAD Nethsara of Lyceum Wattala, Long Jump 5.64m (921 points) received the award for best female athlete.
The highlight of this year’s event was the awarding of sports scholarships to deserving high performing young athletes.
Year after year, Ritzbury selects 15 top athletes and award them with scholarships and accordingly Ayomal Akalanka (Ambagamuwa MMV), GL Arthavidu (DS Senanayaka V), Nilupul Pehesara (Vijitha MMV), MKN Wickramasinghe (Wickramabahu NS Gampola), Hanshika Munasinghe (Ambagamuwa MMV), Thushen Mahindrarathna (Maris Stella), Jathya Kirulu (Mahinda), D. Pradeepani Wickramasighe (Wickramabahu NS Gampola), T. Sandhil (St. Peter’s – Bambalapitiya), KT Nuhansha (Matara MMV), O. Kodikara (St. Lawrence’s) and six students from Lyceum IS Wattala; S. Hanshaka, J. Wijetunga, S. Kularatne and S. Sadithya received the scholarships.
Organised by the Sri Lanka Schools Athletic Association (SLSAA), the championship had a remarkable turnout of 2,000 young athletes competing across various age groups ranging from under-12 to under-15.
Each participant earned their place through preliminary rounds held in Beliatta, Kandy, Bandaragama and Jaffna, showcasing their incredible talents and determination.
The preliminary events had the participation of 15,000 athletes.
“We are also grateful to see more participation from the North and East. Ritzbury, as the sole sponsor of the Sir John Tarbat Schools Athletic Championship, has been influential in uplifting athletics at school level,” said Dr. Kusala Fernando the president of SLSAA.
