Novel initiative to uplift the standards of Athletics

Maris Stella College and Musaeus College emerge champions

The Inaugural Quadrangular Athletics Championship organized by the Old Royalist Athletic Club (ORAC) was held yesterday (1st of August) at the College grounds. Organized with a vision of developing Athletics at a broader level in order to generate competitive participants at the global arena,  the Quadrangular Athletic Championship involves four of the popular boys and girls schools in the country. The main objective of organizing this Championship is to create larger interest and awareness in the sport of Athletics. ORAC recognizes that due to a dearth of popular meets/tournaments for skilled and talented athletes to showcase their talents and obtain recognition currently, the popularity of the sport has been greatly affected.

This event which will be an annual ‘blue ribbon’ championship, unlike any of its precedents, combines the passion of young men and women who pursue athletics at school level to set mark and realize its potential in a broader spectrum that will one day allow them to approach the global arena, the apex of which will be the Olympics.
Summa Navaratnam, a champion athlete and sportsman in his own right who was crowned the Fastest Man in Asia in the 1950s graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.

This Quadrangular Meet comprised of more than seventy five events at different age groups and was conducted under the guidance of a professional panel of judges from the Ministry of Sports.

The captains of teams are as follows:

Royal College – P.B. Pathirana, S. Thomas’ College – Dinul Welgama, S. Joseph’s College – Damindu Darshana, Maris Stella College – Anjana Isuru

Bishop’s College -Tirani Kodippili, Visakha Vidyalaya – Anudi Liyanagunawardena, Ladies College – Ranella Cooray, Musaeus College – Salmi Ranapatabendi

The event concluded with Maris Stella College emerging champions in the boys category and Musaeus College emerging champions in the girls category. The overall results of the event are as follows:

Boys Category:

1st place – Maris Stella College
2nd place – Royal College
3rd place – St. Joseph’s College
4th place – S. Thomas’ College

Girls Category:

1st place – Musaeus College
2nd place – Visakha Vidyalaya
3rd place – Ladies College
4th place – Bishop’s College