Kandy, Jan 2, Tue – The Asian International School (AIS) Swimming team achieved a notable feat by securing the Runners-up position in the Girls Senior National category, emerging as the top-performing international school in the Sri Lanka National Short Course Swimming Championship. The event, concluded at the Hillwood College Swimming Pool in Kandy last Saturday and organized by the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union, witnessed the participation of 19 teams, featuring a foreign contingent from the Maldives.
Senior Girls Triumph:
AIS’s four-member senior girls’ team, led by standout swimmer Christina Perumal, secured an impressive second place with a total of 197 points. In a remarkable display of skill, they outperformed last year’s International School Champions, Lyceum Wattala, who finished with 126 points. Among the international schools, AIS emerged as the top performer, with only the Championship holder, Killer Whale Aquatics team finishing ahead.
Junior Boys Shine:
The AIS four-member junior boys’ team, under the leadership of Muaaz Barry, secured a remarkable third place with 107 points. They surpassed the Maldives Swimming Association team, which finished with 97 points. The only two teams ahead of them were the Junior National Champions, Ananda College, and the runner-up powerhouse, St. Joseph’s College.
Individual Brilliance:
Christina Perumal, already a rising star, clinched third place in the Senior Girls Division, going head-to-head with KWA’s Hiruki de Silva (25 points), the Senior National Girls Champion, and Ganga Seneviratne (21 points), one of Sri Lanka’s leading swimmers. Perumal’s stellar performance earned her 17 points.
In the Junior Boys Division, Muaaz Barry’s individual brilliance secured him 19 points, claiming the third spot in the Junior National Boys segment. These standout performances were pivotal to AIS’s success in this year’s Short Course Nationals.
In a spectacular debut at the Senior National Championship, breaststroke specialist Christina Perumal clinched triple gold medals, dominating the 50m, 100m, and 200m breaststroke events. Her outstanding performance marked her as a formidable contender for future championships. Perumal also secured a bronze medal in the 100m Individual Medley, showcasing her versatility in the pool.
Meanwhile, Sithuki Yonara exhibited her mastery by earning a gold medal in the challenging 800m freestyle. Adding to her impressive haul, Yonara claimed two silver medals in the 200m backstroke and 1500m freestyle events. The talented swimmer also secured two bronze medals, one each in the 50m and 100m backstroke events, demonstrating her all-around excellence in the pool.
Junior Boys: The squad includes Muaaz Barry, Nethuka Perera, Yasiru Malmessa, and Aneeq Sheriff.
Junior Girls: Sandra Perumal and Nisa Jabeer showcased their swimming prowess.
Senior Girls: Christina Perumal, Sithuki Yonara, Kashika Vishalini, and Cassandra Karunakalage formed the Senior Girls team.
Senior Boys: Kaviraj Premanand represented the Senior Boys category.
Results:
Christina Perumal (Girls Senior Nationals): Secured Gold in 50m, 200m, and 100m Breaststroke, and Bronze in 100 IM.
Sithuki Yonara (Girls Senior Nationals): Won Gold in 800m Freestyle, Silver in 200m Backstroke, Bronze in 100m and 50m Backstroke, and Silver in 1500m Freestyle open.
Nethuka Perera (Boys Junior Nationals): Claimed Silver in 200m Breaststroke and Bronze in 50m Breaststroke.
Cassandra Karunakalage (Girls Senior Nationals): Earned Bronze in 1500m Freestyle open.
Kashika Vishalini (Girls Senior Nationals): Secured Bronze in 100m Butterfly.
Muaaz Barry (Boys Junior Nationals): Excelled with Gold in 200m Butterfly, 1500m Freestyle, and Silver in 800m Freestyle, 400m IM, and 200m IM.
Kaviraj Premanand: Secured Bronze in 800m Freestyle.
Open Women’s Relay: Bagged Silver in 4X100m Medley, 4X200m Freestyle, 4x100m Freestyle, 4x50m Medley, and 4x50m Freestyle.
Junior Boys Relay: Secured Silver in 4X100m Freestyle Relay and 4x50m Freestyle Relay.
