Airmen clinch National Water Polo Title after eleven years

Sri Lanka Air Force SC and Visakha Vidyalaya Old Girls’ emerged Men’s and Women’s champions of the National Water Polo Championships, held at the Sugathadasa Stadium Sports Complex Swimming Pool in Colombo. A total of 10 teams participated in the Men’s event while six teams participated in the Women’s Tournament, conducted by the Sri Lanka Aquatic

Sports Union.

The Airmen came from behind with a magnificent performance to beat the Old Thomians Swimming Club ‘A’ Team 9-7 in the Men’s final while Visakha outplayed the Old Thomians Swimming Club ‘A’ Team 21-8 in the Women’s final. Air Force SC remained unbeaten throughout this three-day tournament and went on to win the Men’s Championship after a lapse of 11 years. In fact, Air Force SC were trailing 1-4 at the end of the first quarter but they came back strongly to snatch the final in a thriller with the help of their two key players R. L. K. Udayathra and U. I. O. de Silva.

Both played a major role in their success with Silva ending up as the Highest Goal Scorer and Udayathra named as the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament.

Earlier, in the semi-finals, Air Force SC defeated Old Thomians Swimming Club ‘B’ Team 27-4 and the Old Thomians Swimming Club ‘A’ Team had the better of Sri Lanka Army SC 14-10.

Army SC, of course, had the satisfaction of claiming third place of the Men’s Championship when they defeated Old Thomians Swimming Club ‘B’ Team 13-3 in the consolation final.

In the Women’s semi-finals, Visakha trounced Ladies’ College Old Girls’ 12-4 and Old Thomians Swimming Club ‘A’ Team edged out Air Force SC 10-6. Thiyumi Gunawardena of Visakha won the Most Valuable Player Award, but Aneesha Fowzie of Old Thomians Swimming Club was the Highest Goal Scorer of the Women’s Tournament.