Jayden de Silva of Stafford International School winning the junior national 50m Breaststroke
Sri Lanka’s rising stars of the pool shook things up at the Short Course Selection Trials for the National and World Aquatic Championships last Sunday at the Isipathana College Swimming Pool.
At just 13 years old, Rushalee Dissanayake of Musaeus College stole the show by setting the only national record of the three-day meet, a feat that left the swimming community in awe and placed her name firmly on the map of Sri Lankan swimming.
Dissanayake’s record-breaking performance came in the 1500m Freestyle, where she clocked a remarkable 18:55.44, setting a senior national record despite her junior status.
Competing in the senior categories at such a young age, she not only claimed this record but also dominated other events, winning the senior national 800m Freestyle with a time of 9:55.21 and the 400m Individual Medley in 5:43.75.
Her achievements projected her as a swimmer to watch as she continues to challenge herself against more experienced athletes.
Alongside Dissanayake, another rising talent emerged in the junior events: Jayden de Silva of Stafford International School aged 14, who made a clean sweep in all five events he entered. De Silva’s top performances included the 200m Backstroke (2:28.42) and the 100m Butterfly (1:02.91). He further dazzled with a 27.75 in the 50m Butterfly and clocked an impressive 1:05.92 in the 100m Backstroke, finishing well ahead of his competitors.
De Silva’s winning streak set him apart as the standout junior of the meet, reinforcing the depth of young talent in Sri Lanka.
In the senior women’s category, defending champion Hiruki de Silva of Gateway College Colombo maintained her dominance, winning the 200m Freestyle in 2:06.49 and the 100m Freestyle in 58.32. Hiruki’s consistency and precision allowed her to lead the pack, securing victories against seasoned swimmers, including Dinali Karunadasa of Visakha Vidyalaya and Jessie Seneviratne of Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya.
The men’s senior events saw 17-year-old Sebastian Fernando of Stafford International School rise to prominence, taking first place in the 200m Freestyle with a time of 1:59.06 and the 200m Individual Medley, where he finished eight seconds ahead of his nearest competitor.
Organized by the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union, the event served as a selection trial for the Short Course Nationals and World Aquatic Championship set for December.
