COLOMBO, February 3 (ePRESS) – Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo, excelled in school indoor rowing by winning the Overall Junior Women’s Championship for the third consecutive year and sharing the Overall Senior Women’s title for the second straight year at the Sri Lanka Indoor Rowing Nationals 2026, organized by the Amateur Rowing Association of Sri Lanka (ARASL) held at the Diyawanna Rowing Centre in Battaramulla over the weekend.
Led by captain Anusara Akmeemanna and vice-captain Thisali Welage, Visakha produced another powerful team effort to maintain their supremacy at junior level, while matching the Sri Lanka Army Under-23 Women’s team in the senior category.
Visakha finished the championships with an impressive medal haul of six gold, six silver and one bronze. Their standout performers were 13-year-old Sethini Ranawaka, who collected four gold medals, and Imandi Mahawatte, who won three gold medals and one silver.
In the individual events, Sethini Ranawaka won gold in the Under-14 Girls Individual (1000m) and the Under-16 Girls Individual (2000m). Imandi Mahawatte claimed gold in the Under-23 Women Individual (2000m) and added a silver in the Under-19 Girls Individual (2000m). Vethmi Weerarathne contributed with a silver medal in the Under-23 Women Individual (2000m).
Visakha’s relay teams also delivered consistently. They won gold in the Under-16 Girls Relay (500m x 4) through Hiruni Gamage, Nithinya Dheerasinghe, Dinuli Dahanayake and Sethini Ranawaka. Another gold came in the Under-19 Girls Relay (500m x 4) with Sethini Ranawaka, Imandi Mahawatte, Dinagi Gamage and Vethmi Weerarathne. Their third relay gold was secured in the Under-23 Women Relay (500m x 4) by Onara Fernando, Imandi Mahawatte, Dinagi Gamage and Vethmi Weerarathne.
The silver medals in relay events were won in the Under-14 Girls Relay (250m x 4) through Sanuli Welala, Theruni De Silva, Sethuli Gamage and Yuleni Kulathilaka, and in the Under-19 Girls Relay (500m x 4) by Anusara Akmeemanna, Onara Fernando, Mithinya Deerasinghe and Yesali Jayakody. Visakha also secured silver in the Under-16 Girls Mixed Relay (500m x 4) through Sanuli Welala and Rivini Karasinghe, and in the Under-19 Girls Mixed Relay (500m x 4) through Yesali Jayakody and Dinuli Dahanayake.
Their only bronze medal came in the Under-23 Women Relay (500m x 4), won by Anusara Akmeemanna, Senali Perera, Navini Perera and Mishanthi Padeniya.
In addition to the medal winners, several Visakha Vidyalaya athletes also took part in relay events and contributed to the team’s overall effort. In the Under-14 Girls Relay (250m x 4), the participants were Advika Ayindri, Divanshi Onaya, Chiranya Abeysuriya and Shanuki Ranasinghe. In the Under-16 Girls Relay (500m x 4), the participants included Minduni Thiyansa, Rivini Karasinghe, Chenuthi Liyanage and Oneli Senevirathne, while another relay team featured Vinuthi Kulathilake, Vishwani Agrasari, Lithuni Abeyrathne and Dihansa Karunarathne. In the Under-19 Girls Mixed Relay (500m x 4), Visakha was represented by Minduni Thiyansa and Chenuthi Liyanage.
More than 500 athletes representing schools, universities, rowing clubs and the tri-forces competed at the championships in the Under-14, Under-16, Under-19, Under-23 and Open age groups.
