D.B.A.K Amilalal Danushka

D.B.A.K Amilalal Danushka, an 18 year old exceptionally talented individual from Seenigama won the Sri Lanka Novices Aquatic Championship 50 MT free-style event conducted by the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union recently concluded at the Colombo indoor stadium. He also received third place in the 100m free-style which was an added bonus to the glorious moment he faced that special day. What a great achievement for a youth badly affected by the tsunami in the village of Seenigama, having only had just six months of squad training at the Bryan Adams swimming pool at the Sports Academy of the Foundation of Goodness. If not for the generosity of such a music legend Amilalal would never have had the opportunity to further his swimming talent which has made  him what he is today.

Amilalal in his moment of glory

A student from the Sri Sumangala College in Hikkaduwa, he started swimming in the sea at the age of 12. He soon became a member of the Seenigama swimming club from the time when the swimming pool & Sports Academy opened in 2007, which presented a huge opportunity for the children and youth to further excel in swimming. Currently, over 200 village youth, boys and girls, undergo training at this unique training centre. From swimming in the ocean, he received proper training by skilled coaching staff including overseas volunteers who encouraged him to pursue his dreams of further competing in this much loved sport. It was evident just how much improvement youngsters such as Amilalal had made from their fun and frolic in the ocean previously.

According to Amilalal ‘Before joining the swimming club, I had never swum in a pool. It was a blessing to be given a pool facility to use in Seenigama, free of cost for training which helped me to improve my swimming style even further, thus enabling me to reach this competitive level’. This he did and proved that he was indeed a natural in this sport, having reached first place as the best swimmer in the under 19 age group, where only 8 out of 38 were selected. Also, in the free-style event of the all-island junior swimming club where the timing of swimmers of all ages were recorded, out of which only Amilalal and two others were selected from his age group as the best swimmers.

Amilalal in training

Having succeeded this much in his favourite sport, you would think that ‘a star in the making’ such as Amilalal would have expected this positive outcome. As humble as he is, Amilalal did not believe so, having observed more experienced swimmers in the competition also trying their best to take the winnings, he simply did not think he had any chance of winning this amazing title. He was indeed ecstatic when he did as it was the first time that he had achieved something as great as this which was a dream come true.

With a constant beaming smile plastered on his face, Amilalal of course had many people to thank and acknowledge. He believes that it was participating in the swimming competitions held monthly at the Sports Academy that prepared him well for this competition and to achieve his win as it was through those competitions that he was able to improve his skills further and swim his best.

‘I am most grateful to the Foundation of Goodness for providing a pool facility for training, my swimming coaches Janaka and Yamuna who helped me in my training at the pool and my friends who have encouraged me from the beginning’ said Amilalal.

FoG founder/trustee Mr Kushil Gunasekera also made known to Amilalal how proud the Foundation was of his great achievement and shared this good news with Mr Bryan Adams who donated the magnificent pool complex for the disadvantaged boys and girls in and around the villages of the Seenigama region.

‘If not for this facility this dream would not have unfolded and it is our wish that we keep producing super star swimmers from the Seenigama region to represent Sri Lanka as a tribute to a legend who cared for others in desperate circumstances’ added Mr Gunasekera.

outside the Bryan Adam’s swimming pool

It is also important to acknowledge other donors who also played a role in Amilalal’s swimming success. Mr Sarinda Unamboowe, CEO of the Speedo swimwear manufacturing section of MAS Holdings have been supporting the village youth by providing Speedo swimsuits of which Amilalal was one of the beneficiaries. This was a gift accepted with great delight by these youngsters who desperately required appropriate swimwear. Also Mr Graham Hardman from the UK has to be referred to for the manner in which he trained the swimmers during his volunteer assignment as a swimming coach, ensuring the youth are well trained and also for providing Amilalal and other swimmers with goggles which are essential to any swimmer. He was further blessed by Mr Amanda Weerasinghe who awarded an annual scholarship for further training at Rs 5,000/- a month (US$ 50/-) which is very admirable since Amilalal will need all the nutritions and equipment for more professional training.

This is not the end for Amilalal. He hopes to train further and keep achieving the best that he can do and I am sure this youngster from Seenigama will achieve a few more medals in his walk to stardom.

Having asked for any advice for future young swimming stars? ‘I believe other skilled swimmers too can participate in competitions such as these by trying their very best and training well’ concluded Amilalal.

Ashan Pulina Tharanga

Werallana is another youngster who shared his moment of glory in the sport of cricket. He received ‘the under 15 most outstanding school boy cricketer runner up award’ which he never thought he could achieve. Pulina began his cricket at a tender age when he was able to join the under 11 team at Sri Devananda College in Amabalangoda, always showing a great interest in this much loved village sport. His talent and skill extends to not only as a leg spin bowler but also as an all-rounder which was evident in the all island cricket tournament, where he captured 42 wickets in 08 matches and scored 420 runs during the season.

Pulina is also part of the Seenigama village team, joining from the time of the opening of the Sports Academy where a cricket oval was developed. This Surrey County Cricket Club sponsored venue in the village helps him to train better and more regularly, enhancing the talents of young cricketers from the surrounding villages, apart from the training received in the village schools attended.

Pulina is a much loved and admired member of the Seenigama community. He was known to the Foundation even before the tsunami, when he received a scholarship to further his education through kind donations. Having lost both his parents (his mother from Seenigama and father from the neighbouring village of Werallana), one to the tragic tsunami, it is indeed inspiring to observe such talent emerge from the rural sector with so much determination and perseverance.

Having asked if cricket was always a game he wished to pursue in, Pulina said ‘I chose cricket because I like this sport very much. But before deciding on cricket, I also had an interest in the sporting areas of table tennis, football and swimming, but it was always cricket that stood out for me.’ He also mentioned that it was his deceased parents and cricket coach from school Mr Suraj Sanjeewa who encouraged him to pursue cricket.

He added ‘if not for the support of my deceased parents, my older brother, Mr Suraj and also FoG founder/trustee Mr Kushil Gunasekera, I would not have been able to achieve this much success and to them I pledge my deepest gratitude.’

‘a star in the making’

Pulina is another youngster determined to continue his achievements and hard work. Now that he has achieved this runner-up position, his aim is to one day become the most outstanding school boy cricketer of the year like many of the national stars who have achieved their status. No doubt he will pursue his training with great effort and try to achieve his ultimate dream of joining the national cricket team. Having already achieved so much at such a young age, this dream could become a reality in no time. His determination and perseverance combined with the exceptional talent, Pulina is sure to create a name for himself in the much loved sport of our nation.

Mr Gunasekera added ‘It is important to acknowledge the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) for their generosity through whom Pulina received a timely scholarship which has helped him immensely by this financial grant to pursue his cricketing career along with the help of the Foundation of Goodness.’

Mr David Cruse from Australia has also extended his support with different forms of sponsorship as and when required in regard to Pulina’s travel requirements and purchase of cricket equipment, in helping him fulfill his cricket to the best of his ability.

Pulina continues to shine as a cricket star. He was selected for the Sr Lanka schools under 15 cricket tour to Malaysia which concluded recently. Another proud moment for the Foundation of Goodness.

‘Winners don’t do different things, they do things differently’