The Sri Lankan Aquatics Team, which includes two swimmers and one diver, is ready to showcase their talent at the Commonwealth Games – Birmingham 2022.
The Aquatics championships will be held at the Sandwell Aquatic Centre- Birmingham. The swimming events will be from the 29th of July to the 3rd of August while the diving events will be from the 4th to the 8th of August.
Read : Akalanka and Ganga win big at first Selection Trials
Swimming Team
Akalanka Peiris and Ganga Senevirathne, the fastest male and female Lankan swimmers respectively, with the highest FINA points, will make up the swim team.
The current National Record Holder of the 50m Butterfly, 50m and 100m Backstroke events, Akalanka Peiris will take part in 50m Butterfly and 50m Backstroke on the 29th of July and the 31st of July respectively.
The old Peterite is currently swimming for Sri Lanka Army as a Brevet Officer. This is the second consecutive time Peiris will be representing his motherland at the Commonwealth Games.
He has flown the Sri Lankan flag high at many other international events winning 2 Golds and a Silver at the Asian Age Group Aquatic Championships 2017, 1 Gold, 3 Silvers, and 3 Bronzes at South Asian Games 2019 and has shown exceptional performances at the FINA SC World Championships 2021, FINA World Championships 2019, FINA Junior World Championships 2019 and Asian Games 2018.
The talented schoolgirl Ganga Senevirathne of Visakha Vidyalaya will take part in 100m and 200m Backstroke on the 30th of July and 1st of August respectively. Ganga currently trains at Killer Whale Aquatics under Coach Manoj Abeysinghe.
This is her first-time representing Sri Lanka at the Commonwealth Games. Additionally, she has shown remarkable performances at many other international events winning 3 Silvers and a Bronze at the South Asian Games 2019 and taking the Lion flag to the FINA Junior World Championships 2019, FINA SC World Championships 2021 and the World School Games 2019.
According to national swimming team coach Shehaan Dias, semi-finals are possible for both Akalanka and Ganga in all their events.
Read More : As the water drains for 2018…
Diving Team
Diver Dulanjan Fernando who is currently based in Australia will take wing on the 30th of July to Birmingham 2022 to showcase his spectacular turns, twists, and somersaults. He will commence his training in Birmingham on the 31st of July and will take part in 1m springboard and 3m springboard events on the 4th of August and 6th of August respectively.
An old Royalist, Fernando moved to Australia for his advanced training and higher studies at Deakin University in 2020 and is currently training at MelAm Diving Club under Coach Monica Fly.
Fernando was the 1st Sri Lankan diver to qualify for the FINA World Championships and he is the 1st Sri Lankan to qualify and compete at the Australian Open Nationals. He also conquered the overall championship at the 7th Singapore National Diving Championships 2017 and performed stunning dives at the 8th Asian Age Group Aquatic Championships 2016.
Mahinda Liyanage will take on duties as the Team Leader whilst Shehaan Dias will be the Swimming Coach.
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