Seventeen year old Swimming Captain and Gold Medalist, Basketball Player and Athlete Gardhi Lokuhewage Sachin Teran Senathilake brought honour and fame to his Alma Mater St. Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa.
Sachin was admitted to St. Joseph Vaz in 2010 when Revrend Father Priyanjeewa Gunaratne was at the helm of the Primary School and his first class teacher was Mrs. Sujatha. Sachin following his fathers foot steps commenced sports at a tender age with Athletics in 2013. His father Kapila Senathilake was a fine sportsman during his hey day and represented All Island Schools Volleyball team in 1982 whilst at Ananda College, Elpitiya and he was adjudged the Best Player and he was in the National Squad too.
In 2013 Inter House Athletic Sports Meet as an under 11 competitor he came first in 200 meters and second in Putt Shot and in the following year in the same age group he was the Captain of the Lewis House and became first in Putt Shot and 100 meters and his Coach was Mr. Emmanuel.
Then in 2014 he was drafted to the Senior School of St. Joseph Vaz when Reverend Father Sylvester Jayakody was the Rector. Sachin gave up Athletics and took up to Basketball under Himal Silva. His first year in the under 12 team Vazians were the Zonal Champions and in the following year too they were the Zonal Champions and participating in the North Western Province Grama Sewaka Divisional Meet too they won the under 14 Championship and Sachin carried away the Best Players Award and in the Provincial Tournament in 2016 and 2017 they were the Runners Up. Due to an injury he kept away for sometime and in 2018 they were the second Runner Up in North Western Province Festival Tournament and they were the All Island “B” Division Runners Up. In 2017 in the North Western Club Meet he was the Champion by winning 50 meters Butterfly Back and Free Style Events. With these performances under his Belt he got an opportunity to tour Thailand for the Asian Countries Meet and in the Back Stroke event he won a Bronze Medal.
In the meantime in addition to Basketball he took up to Swimming. In 2014 under Mrs. Arunalatha Guneththi and his Master in Charge was Sudath Kathriarachchi and in the District Tournament he came second in 100 metres and 200 metres Butterfly Event and second in 200 metres Back Stroke and in 2016 Festival Open Provincial Meet he was third in 100 metres Butterfly Event and in 2017 Sri Lanka Aquatic Under 16 North Western Provincial Meet he won Gold Medals for Free Style and Butterfly 50 metre events and in the District Festival Meet in the under 17 age group he won a Gold in 200 Back Stroke and came second in 100 and 200 meters Butter fly Events and in 2017 North Western Province Open National Tournament he came second in 50 meters Back stroke and butterfly Event.
In the Schools Swimming Association Meet in timing he was among the Best Six Swimmers and in 2018 under 16 event at the North Western Meet he won a Gold Medal in 50 meters butterFly and Silver medal in Back stroke and Free 50 meter Event. In the North Western Province 2018 Meet he came third in Free Style and in Medly Relay and Free 50×4 Relay they won Golds. in the under 17 Event at the Sri Lanka Schools Aquatic Event he came second in 50 meter Free Style Event. In 2018 he toured India with the Puttalam District Swimming Team and competitors from Four States with Sri Lanka Contingent participanted and he won a Silver in 100 metres Back Stroke and it was a fine exposure to him. Again in 2020 North Western Festival Open Meet in the Free Style he won a Gold Medal for 100 metres and Free Style a Silver and 50 meters Butterfly a Bronze.
In 2018 A and G Swimming Academy North Western Province Championship he was the Champion by winning 50 Free, Backstroke and Butterfly and in 2020 Festival Meet Medley he won a Gold Medal for winning five events. In addition he played for the Cricket teams of under 13, 15 and 17 teams.
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