COLOMBO: (ePRESS) – Musaeus College’s young swimming sensation, Rushalee Dissanayake, stole the spotlight on the third day of the 49th MILO All Island Schools Aquatic Championship. The event, held at the Sugathadasa Stadium Swimming Pool Complex on Thursday, saw Dissanayake break a 32-year-old meet record in the Under-14 Girls 200m Freestyle.
Dissanayake clocked an impressive 2:23.18 in the final, surpassing the previous record of 2:24.66 set by Upeksha Silva also from Colombo International School in 1992. This outstanding performance earned her the gold medal. Musaeus College celebrated another victory as Senuki de Silva claimed the silver medal with a time of 2:35.92.
This record-breaking swim marked Dissanayake’s third individual gold medal of the championship. She had already set new meet records in the Under-14 Girls 400m Freestyle and 50m Freestyle events. Her dominance in the pool at just 13 years old highlights her remarkable talent and potential in freestyle swimming for Sri Lanka.
By the end of the third day, Mahamaya Girls College Kandy led the points table with 105 points, making a strong comeback after several years. Defending champions Lyceum International School followed closely with 97.5 points, while Ladies’ College secured third place with 69 points. Lyceum International School Gampaha and Musaeus College took the fourth and fifth spots with 67 and 63 points, respectively.
In the boys’ segment, St Joseph’s College maintained a commanding lead with 135 points. Lyceum International School Nugegoda was in second place with 76 points, followed by Lyceum Panadura with 66 points. St Peter’s College and Lyceum Gampaha rounded out the top five with 65 and 46 points, respectively.
The championship has seen four new meet records broken by the end of the third day. The six-day event, proudly sponsored by Nestle’s flagship brand, MILO and organized by the Ministry of Education and the Sri Lanka Schools Aquatic Sports Association, will continue until Sunday, July 14.
As the competition progresses, all eyes are on Rushalee Dissanayake, whose impressive performances have set a new standard for young swimmers across the country.
