Sri Lanka Army emerged champions at the 12th Defence Services Games concluded at Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo yesterday . The President of the Defence Services Sports Board and Commander of Air Force Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa and his team conducted this meet successfully.
Sri Lanka Army athletes dominated the meet with 147,Gold Medals ,144 Silver Medals and 112 Bronze Medals to clinch the championship while Sri Lanka Air Force were first runners up taking 77 Gold Medals, 71 Silver Medals and 100 Bronze Medals.
Sri Lanka Navy emerged third taking 69 Gold Medals, 86 Silver Medals and 69 Bronze Medals.
This event marked the culmination of months of competitive sports, where servicemen and women from the tri-forces showcased their talents across 39 competitive events. The Chief Guest for the ceremony was the State Minister of Defence, Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon.
In adherence to the annual sports plan recommended by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, the Defence Services Games, a pivotal sports tournament in Sri Lanka, boast of the second-largest participation of the Armed Forces’ male and female athletes. Bonus points, as per the rules of the World Indoor Sports Federation, were awarded to athletes displaying prowess in the indoor sports section, affording them the opportunity to partake in the Olympic tournament.
Approximately 3000 athletes participated, aiming to identify capable sports talents during this tournament. The selected individuals will undergo specialized training facilitated by the Defence Services Sports Councils, integrating them into the national sports squads. Currently, a significant portion of athletes in the national youth squad come from the tri-forces, highlighting the pivotal role of the Defence Service Games as a foundational platform for their success.
The sports arena was not only opened for servicemen and women but also for school athletes, aiming to identify and recognize the next generation of athletic talent.
Meanwhile this event included invitational schools such as Mahamaya Girls School Kandy Sumana Balika Vidyalaya Ratnapura, Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya, Newstead Girls College Negombo and many other girls’ schools. Among the invited boys’ schools were St. Joseph s College Colombo, Royal College Colombo, Ananda College Colombo, Bandarayake Vidyalaya Gampaha, Rahula College Matara, St. Joseph Vaz College Vennappuwa and many more.
The evening’s proceedings were formally brought to a close by the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, General Kamal Guneratne (Retd), who declared the games officially closed. The organization of this year’s Defence Services Games was arranged by the Sri Lanka Air Force and the ceremonial handover of the Defence Services Sports Council flag to the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage, by Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa marked the commencement of preparations for the 2024 Defence Services Games.
Be the first to comment