Karate; the art practiced through self discipline, consciousness and creativity. Perabeats met with a master of this art; an international black belt holder who currently posses the championship of the Kumite event at this year’s university Championship; Amal Suranjith Lankathilaka Jayasinghe. Amal, who is currently perusing an Engineering degree at the University of Peradeniya talks about his sporting carrer.

 

 

When did you start playing karate as a sport?

Narammala Junior School was my first school and from the grade 5 scholarship examination I went to Kurunagala Maliyedeva College. I did not do any sport in the junior school but at the end of the fifth grade I had developed an interest for karate as a sport. At Maliyadeva College, I tried almost every other sport like Football, badminton and cricket. But Karate was and always will be my passion.

 

In 2009, you have won the all island tournament and at the same time you have done well at your advanced levels. What’s the secret behind your success?

Actually it was the biggest challenge I’ve faced in my life; and I won it by just following two simple rules.

 

“Play while you play and work while you work.” 
“Always identify your priorities”

 

What is the definition you would give to the word “Sport”?

 

A sport is a competitive, organized, entertaining, and skilful activity that requires dedication, plan, and fair play .

 

How do you find sports in the university level?

So far, so good. I won the 1st place at this year’s inter university karate meet under 84 kg in the kumite event. And also I’ve won the international black belt meet for the university students and got the chance to represent my university at the 8^th World University Karate Championship which was held in Slovakia, Bratislava in this year.

 

How was your experience at the World University Karate Championship?

 It was great. There were competitors from more than fifty different countries all over the world. I made lot of new friends and got plenty of new experiences. But I must say that I found out that most of these players are doing the sport in more or less in a professional level. I even met some players who are studying in sports universities. 

What are your plans at the moment?

My aim is to become the best player in the next SLUG, and to represent my country in the next Asian university games and of course most importantly I hope to maintain the balance between my studies and my sports.

 

 

What aspects do you think that should be developed in order to take the university sports to the next level?

 
I think we lack in inspiration. Most of the university students do not have any interest for sports and they stick to the books. Even some are not coming to watch a match and support their own university and to cheer the players. To take it to the next level a change is a must. And I see that Perabeats has initiated the change and we desperatly need more of this kind of programs.

 

 

What is the advice would you like to give the young that interested in sports?

 

Difficulties would come. Face them and keep pushing. Victory is inventible. Steps might be small and sometimes you’ll feel they are too small but it doesn’t matter until you are walking orward.

In the ring remember that “You never fail until you stop trying”.

 

Your thank goes to? 
There are many. First of all my parents and my sister, my teachers, members of school karate team and university karate team, then all of  my friends, And specially my Sensei who taught me the first moves of karate and also who has always been a huge support to me Sensei Shihan Prabath Jayewardene and also Sensei of the Peradeniya University Mr.Senevirathne.

 

 

School level achievements of Amal Suranjith Lankathilaka Jayasinghe

• First place of the National Karate Do Championship 2008, in the event of kumite under cadet category.
• Runners up in the all island school games 2008, kumite event under nineteen.
• First place of the Indu –Sri Lanka open karate championship 2008, in the event of kumite under nineteen.
• 1^st place under 75 kg weight category in the kumite event  at XXXIV national sports festival in North Western Province (2008)

 

Interviewed by Dananjaya Liyanage

Don’t give up when the odds are against you!

Pera’s Prasada Perera Speaks

By Kithmini Kehelpannala

---

 

 

Prasada Perera’s name cannot be unfamiliar for anyone who has taken a close look at Peradeniya’s track and field records. His name dominates the better part of the fresher’s   records as well as the university records columns in mid range distance events. Furthermore, he has the unique achievement of establishing a national record while been a varsity student to his name as well. Perabeats had the privilege of having a brief discussion with this extraordinary character that had made mother Pera proud.

When cruising back through your memory towards your Peradeniya days what were the reminiscences that give you immense pleasure and happiness?

 

As I now approach the evening of my life I often jog the past looking for happy times and in the process it is inevitable to connect my best memories, at least in part, to the life at Peradeniya and in particular to my morning training sessions. At that time I was in my final year in engineering and a resident of Akbar Hall. (I often trained twice once in the morning and the other late evening)

 

The day for me starts early in the morning when most of my friends are still asleep. It starts with a long run on those lonely footpaths and hills from the Hall through famous (or infamous for others) Lovers Lane up Galaha Road to Hanthana and back to the Hall pass the track where I stopped for a breather.  The circuit takes me about 45 to 60 minutes and I can still enjoy the pleasure of the pain and exhaustion experienced on those cold misty mornings running the steep hills of Hantana with no one except the beautiful surroundings to keep my company. (If you don’t like pain and loneliness then athletics is not for you)

 

On occasions I was at the receiving end of trade mark university salutes from some hall residents-the traditional hoot! I still hear and enjoy them as it happened yesterday.

 

On a lighter note, we expatriates often get together in Melbourne to ponder the past. A question that sometimes springs at me is whether I have been in the Lovers Lane during my time in the university. Yes, of course, but unfortunately it was a lonely visit by me during training!

 

What was the motivation factor to continue your athletics career after entering the university?

 

I entered the university from St Benedict’s College, Colombo where I was actively involved in athletics winning under 19   400 and 800 meters at the Colombo North Group Meet and then coming second and fourth respectively at the Public Schools Championships.

 

So after entering the university it was a natural progression to continue the sport I loved so much in a befitting environment at Peradeniya-the track, the gym and importantly comp anions for training.

 

 

 

What was the support you received from your university dons and the university administration to achieve success in both athletics and studies?

 

During my time participation in sports was actively promoted by the then Director of Sports Mr. Leslie Handunge and some staff from various faculties. In the evenings some university dons participated in team sports with students and others showed their presence by strolling around the campus.

 

Many students in the Engineering Faculty had a reputation of being involved practically in every sport in the university calendar. I think one of the main reasons for this was the encouragement extended by the then Dean of The Faculty, Professor E O E Pereira who was a keen sportsman himself.

 

In my particular case I had a few privileges from him in my first year soon after I established freshmen’s records in the 100, 200 and 800 meters events.

At that time I was a day scholar (non resident) but I had access to special food to supplement my training programs and was available to me at any time from the Akbar Hall that adjoins the Engineering Faculty.

 

In addition there were other senior staff members from the Engineering Faculty, Professors Chinnappa, Mahalingam, Sivaprakasapillai who were AAA time keepers and were often present during athletic meets and had offered me words of encouragement prior to meets especially at national level.

 

You became a unique character by establishing a national record of 1.53.7 for 800 meters while being a university student. How did you manage to do both your studies and athletics together and so well?

 

I don’t think I was an icon or as you say unique student during my time because there were at least a couple of other students who achieved national level in their respective sports but also academically brilliant than me. But I am humbled to agree now that I had the privilege and pleasure of coming to know many students from all walks of life that I would not have known if not for my involvement in athletics. On the education side, yes I have to admit it was a testing time for me to balance athletics and studies especially in my final year.

 

In the few months leading up to my final examination I had a heavy athletic commitment; a member of the Sri Lankan athletics squad and being selected to represent Sri Lanka at the Indian Open Championships that meant an overseas tour and missing lectures, Sri Lankan Nationals and Interuniversity championships and also being the Vice President of the University Sports Council all falling just 7 months before my final examination.

 

I was not academically brilliant so I had to study extremely hard whenever and wherever I could and make the most of the time available just to get across the line-and I did it! That’s when I learnt time management and self discipline.

 

Had there been enough competition from the rivals when you ran the national record, couldn’t you have been able to achieve much higher results?

 

I bettered the Sri Lankan record for 800 metres in my final year at the Inter university championships at Thurston Road, the home track of the Colombo University.  It was more the track conditions than lack of competition that precluded me in running a better time on the day. A half cut grass track, a head wind in the home straight did not go in my favour during the race.

 

Incidentally just a couple of months later and at the SL Open National Championships I had enough competition but I was beaten to second place by a well deserved athlete from India who later went on to finish fourth in the event at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.

 

In which way has the pursuit of athletics career in your varsity days helped you in your latter life?

 

Its discipline and time management and energy to work under pressure and more importantly don’t give up easily when the odds are not in your favour. This is the reality and what you will come across frequently once you leave the university and enter the commercial world.

 

Is there any piece of advice you would like to give to the university athletes?

 

At the outset let me tell you that doing athletics as a university student especially at national level is different and not easy compared with an athlete already left school and in full time paid employment. Disadvantages are obvious, money and time just to mention a couple.

 

The main reason for entering the university is to obtain the qualification and later pursue the career in your chosen profession and you should not lose sight of this. It is very unlikely you will be rewarded in the years to come if you were to leave the university as a famous athlete but without that very important document.

In the commercial world they call it investing today to pay dividends in years to come. If I borrow this analogy I can easily find a resemblance to an athlete in the university. You study hard, train hard and with it come qualities to reap the rewards in later years.

There is no better place to achieve these than at Peradeniya.

 

 

We, Perabeats team, wish Mr.Prasada Perera good health and all the very best for his future endeavors.