The Inter International Athletic Championship reached its pinnacle on the 3rd day – 3rd of March 2013
Everything about the last day was special; throngs of cheer parties continued to lend their very vocal support to their relevant schools, colleagues and friends. As the final victories were awarded, roars from respective schools fired up the stadium in random periods. The spectator involvement was tremendous; applause, hugs,:while sipping off a drink a girl realizes her friend has won a gold medal, and her standing ovation nearly spills everything she was holding on to.
Cheers from Lyceum International School Wattala were getting confident as the day passed by, leading the whole tournament from start of the 3rd day. The chants of “Lyceum Wattala, Lyceum Wattala” itself prompted trepidation in fellow athletes; all the while Gateway following closely at their heels.
On the cards for thundering competition was the schools invitation relays both girls and boys which had the likes of Ladies College, Museus College and St. Bridget’s Covent. The boys’ invited schools relay event was all about the competition. Ananda College and Isipathana College were left tussling for the silver medal till Isipathana made a close win while St. Peter’s College made an outstanding victory. These participants not only had the opportunity to compete in a tough atmosphere but also express their abilities nationwide through the live TV coverage.
The most glamorous event of any athletics competition and the cynosure of all eyes is the 100M final of Under 20 and Under 19 age categories. As paradoxical as it may sound even the boys’ Under19 100M bronze medalist finished the event within a less time than that of the boys’ Under 20 gold medalist. Accomplishing this triumph was Sanasum Thilina Path Wijesekera, K.A Kushan Vindula Kalatuarachchi of Gateway College and Aadil Farried of Lyceum International school Wattala as the Gold, Silver and Bronze medalists respectively for the boy’s Under 19 100M event.
Surprisingly it was the same with girls’ Under19 and Under20 100M finals; also both the gold medalists were from the Gateway- M.G Ruwanthi Ferdinandes and Genevi Caldera.
Throughout ISACs Gateway deployed their best tactical weapon: the immense crowd support – they were the organizers. Regardless of the huge points difference between Gateway and Lyceum Wattala, in the home stretch the Gateway medals came rushing-in, the mood turned so earnestly enthusiastic that even a random participant was made to feel the pressure and emotion. It was an intense battle and literal race to the finish line between the two top schools.
The final few relay events proved crucial and never-wracking for both schools. As W.G. Ashan Indika Abeynayake, A. Yashod Lakshan Perera, W.B. Rajin Fernando and Harshana Kolongodawas were able to bring Gateway a new meet record for Under 19 boys’400 x 4 meter relay, Lachitha Chenuka, Shanka Perera, Vajira Attanayake and Gihan De Zoysa brought Lyceum Wattala back to attack with another record breaking performance in Under 17 boys’ 400×4 relay.
But Inter-Internationals wasn’t all about competing to the top, there was pride in the herd, celebration of victory and most importantly participation – Elizabeth Moir School with just one participant set the tone.
As it reached the end organizers were spotted building up the environment for the closing ceremony. Before the parade of athletes was a performance by students of Gateway College Negombo. It portrayed a kingdom surrounded by animals. Posing was the king standing with his guards while many others dressed delineating animals scattered over the stadium grounds. The effect was a mind- blowing spectacle. Then it came down to the usual procedures with all the participants dressed in blue jerseys with “ISAC 2013“gathered to the marshaling area for the awards. Wrapping things up was the performance of ‘sunset’ by the senior band of Gateway College.
In the end, what Gateway gave to the Inter International Athletic Championship movement, was a delightfully peculiar but firmly independent Games.
