INTER REGIMENT ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIP KINDLES PROSPECTIVES FOR SPORTING

The Inter Regiment Athletics Championship staged annually carries peculiar classical significance in nourishing and moulding skilled athletes who are under varied recognition of capabilities of the serving membersin the Volunteer Force of the Sri Lanka Army.

The year’s athletics championship of the Volunteer Force was inaugurated by Major General WGP Sisira Kumara RSP – the Deputy Commandant, Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force as the Chief Guest on 26 August 2024 at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Diyagama.

The event was organized with the blessings of Lieutenant General H L V M Liyanage RWP RSP ndu - the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and Major General W P A D W Nanayakkara RSP VSV USP ndu – the Commandant of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force.

On arrival, the Chief Guest of the inaugural day was warmly welcomed by a cultural dancing troupe and ushered to the special dais. Afterwards, the Sri Lanka Army Flag, the Volunteer Force Flag and the Army Sports Flag were hoisted by the Chief Guest, Brigadier M M Salwatura RWP RSP USP –the Principal Staff Officer and Brigadier J M T N B Karunathilaka – the Inspector of Training of the Lanka Army Volunteer Forcerespectively with the Sri Lanka Army Anthem being recited. Subsequently two minutes silence was observed in the memory of Fallen War Heroes.

Symbolizing the light of the spirit of the sportsmanship to generations, the Olympic Torch relay was held by the veteranathletes: Dilhani Lekamge who threw a national record Javelin Throw of 60.93 metres winning the bronze medal at the Asian Athletics Championships in 2023 in Bangkok and attended the Javelin Throw for Paris Olympic Games in 2024, and Neranjani Rajakaruna who is the best performer in 400 metres and an outstanding member of the 400 x 4 metres relay that claimed for the national record.Abiding to the rules of a fair play, the athletes and the judges took the oaths as the next schedule of the occasion. In the wake of the formal formalities, the Inter Regiment Athletics Championship was declared open by the Chief Guest,and the beginning was set with the introduction of the teams to the Chief Guest.

Above 300 sportsmenand sportswomen who represented 21 battalions of the Volunteer Force will compete under track and field disciplines on 27 and 28 of August with future prospectives in national and international sports arenas. The closing ceremony of the event has been scheduled to be held on 28 August with the auspicious of the Commandant of the Volunteer Force.

Mr. LalChandrakumara - the Senior Vice President of the Sri Lanka Athletics , Senior Officers , Officers and Other Ranks of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force attended the occasion.