COLOMBO: (ePRESS) – Thurstan College’s former Karate captain, Dulwan Jayaratne, has been awarded the coveted Best Player in All Games title at the Western Province Colours Awards Ceremony, held recently at Royal College, Colombo.
This prestigious award highlights his outstanding performance across the board in Karate, capping off a year filled with remarkable victories both on home soil and in international arenas.
In the 2023/2024 season, Jayaratne really knocked it out of the park. At the 2023 National Karate Championship, he claimed a gold medal in kumite (fighting) and a silver in kata (forms). His winning streak continued at the All Island Schools Games, where he earned two silver medals — one in kata and the other in the team kumite event, proving his all-around skill.
But Jayaratne wasn’t resting on his laurels. At the 2024 National Karate Championship, he came out swinging, securing a gold medal in kumite and a silver in kata. In the 2024 All Island Games, he kept his foot on the gas, clinching a bronze medal in team kumite.
On the international stage, Jayaratne has made a name for himself as a force to be reckoned with. He represented Sri Lanka at three consecutive South Asian Karate Championships, beginning in 2019 (with the 2020 and 2021 editions put on the back burner due to global disruptions). In 2019, he landed a bronze medal in kata at the 5th South Asian Karate Championship in Bangladesh. He didn’t miss a beat in 2022, bagging a silver medal in kumite at the 6th South Asian Karate Championship held in Sri Lanka. At the 7th South Asian Karate Championship in Nepal in 2023, Jayaratne’s determination paid off, as he brought home two bronze medals in kumite and team kumite.
Jayaratne’s excellent record shows that he’s not just in it for the short haul. His relentless pursuit of excellence has earned him a spot in the limelight, firmly establishing him as one of Sri Lanka’s finest Karate athletes. With his grit, skill, and commitment, Dulwan Jayaratne continues to rise to the occasion, proving he has the mettle to go the distance — inspiring young athletes across the country and establishing his reputation as a top-tier competitor in Sri Lankan Karate.
