December 15 SINGAPORE: In a stellar performance on the first day of the 17th Singapore Open Artistic Swimming Championships at the OCBC Aquatic Centre, the Sri Lanka’ Venuki Wijesena secured a bronze medal. The championship, running from December 13 to 17, marks the team’s first international Artistic Swimming outing since 2019.
Venuki Wijesena shone in the 13-15 years Youth Figure Competition, scoring 62.0060 points and clinching the third position on the podium. Kihara Goonetilleke showcased her talent in the 11-12 years age group, finishing in sixth place with an impressive 58.3623 points.
Among other competitors in the 11-12 years age group on the opening day, Amara Watson Kittle claimed the 23rd spot with 54.5845 points, and Aheli Joseph secured the 47th position with 46.6135 points in a competitive field of 63 participants.
In the 13-15 years Youth category, Ayla Watson Kittle secured the 24th spot with 53.8424 points, Satvi Arjuna ranked 33rd with 51.0000 points, while Sanuki Suraweera and Andrea Thirukumar secured the 35th and 36th places with 50.6849 and 50.5818 points, respectively, among 52 participants.
With a total of 17 participants competing in various age groups, the Sri Lankan team is aiming to gain international competition experience and exposure after a hiatus due to setbacks in recent years, according to Team Manager Akhry Ameer.
Artistic Swimming, facing rule changes during the pandemic, witnesses the Sri Lankan team adapting to a hybrid rule setting in Singapore despite SLASU adopting new rules for this year.
In the remaining two days of the competition, the team, hailing from Aurora Synchro Club, Ladies College, Musaeus College, and Visakha Vidyalaya, is expected to give their best. Over 220 artistic swimmers from various Asian countries and clubs are participating in the event. The team is under the supervision of Dehara Katipearachchi, a former Asian Games and Commonwealth Games athlete serving as the Head Coach.
