“Weightlifting being an Olympic sport and Sri Lanka seeming to be flooding with local talent from all four corners of the Island, the most logical next step was to organize an event of this caliber to bring together the latter to achieve the former” Says a member of the Weightlifting advisory committee.

The Inter School Weightlifting Championship which was held on the 24th and 25th of May at the Royal MAS Arena premises paved way for a ‘strong’ competition from around the island with Trinity College, Royal College – Polonnaruwa & Royal College – Colombo topping the charts early on. The 150 athletes from 15 schools competed in under 17 & under 20 age categories in their respective gender and weight classes.

The competitors were tested in two lifts namely, the snatch and the Clean and Jerk. While the snatch is a wide grip single movement lift – the Clean and Jerk is a close grip double movement lift. Receiving 3 attempts in each lift, the combined total of the highest two successful lifts determines the overall result within a bodyweight category. A lifter who fails to complete at least one successful snatch and one successful clean and jerk also fails to total, and therefore receives an “incomplete” score. Reflective of the standard achieved in recent years none of the lifters attained this status.

The campaign towards a championship title is both arduous and grueling yet the final results tells a story of a different nature. The Girls overall champions were St. Anthony’s, Jaffna and the Girls overall Runners-up were Royal College, Polonnaruwa. Taking home the coveted overall boys’ championship was Royal College Colombo and coming in a close second was Royal College Polonnaruwa. After their individually impressive campaigns, Bevishan Wijewickrama of Trinity College – Kandy was awarded the best lifter amongst the men and Best Lifter Girls was awarded to H W Haputanna of Thopawewa Maha Vidyalaya – Polonnaruwa.

The results below testify to the well-deserved wins of the Overall Champion School and the home school of the best lifter.

Champions Results

U – 20

Nuwan Jayawardena – silver medal (105 category)
Bryan Senaratne – gold medal (94 category)
Dinujaya Dilsara – gold medal (69 category)
Vijan thaveesha – bronze medal (85 category)
Rahiru Bandara – Silver medal (85 category)
Lookshan  Muthukumar- gold medal (105+ category)

U – 17

Pasindu malawana – gold medal (77 category)
Sukith Kariyawasam – gold medal (94+ category)
Senira samarasinghe – gold medal (85 category)
Amod Perera – bronze medal (56 category)
Dulneth bandara – bronze medal (69 category)

Best Lifter School Results

Under – 20

P.D Jayasuriya – Silver Medal (94 category)
B.J Wijewickrama – Gold Medal (85 category)
K.J Gamage – Gold Medal (77 category)
M.L Mayadunne – Bronze Medal (56 category)
N.T Jayakody – Silver Medal (62 category)
S.N Abeywarna – Silver Medal (67 category)
M.M.P.A.L Weeraratne – Bronze Medal (69 category)
Under – 17
Wickramasekara – Bronze Medal (77 category)
E.Bodhinarayan – Bronze Medal (94 category)

 

Photo Album : Photographic Society