Kalana Bandara an outstanding athlete and cricketer
Thirteen year old, Kalana Sumiyuru Bandara Herath,a student of Dharmaraja College,Kandy started schooling in 2013 from Grade one onwards and he started Athletics in the Grade three class.
As he started Athletics under the coaching of D.M.Gunapala, Athletic Coach of the School Kalana secured the first place in High Jump, Long Jump and Second in the 100 metre races with the athletes of Schools such as Hillwood, Mahamaya, Vidyartha and St. Sylvesters’ and for his achievements Kalana was adjudged ‘the most outstanding Junior Athlete’ of the School.
He represented Dharmaraja College, at the sports meets of the above mentioned Schools in Kandy in an Invitation Relay and his team won more than Six first places with the other members of his Relay team Yovidu (1st lap) Kalana(2nd ) and Hiruna (3rd lap) and in 2018 he secured the first place in High Jump, Long Jump and 100 metre Race at the Inter House Athletic meet and he was adjudged the ‘Best Athlete’ of the meet as a member of the School ‘Gemunu House’ and he was appointed as the Athletic Captain of the Junior School.
At the age of eight years under the coaching of Harold Ranasinghe veteran Cricket Coach, of the College Cricket Academy and became the Junior Captain of the School in 2017.
Kalana started Cricket in the Under thirteen team under the coaching of Gamini Debahapuwa after the training at the Cricket Academy. In the year 2019 at the under 13 Division one Cricket team as a left hand batsman and right arm leg spinner, he played as Number 04 batsman and got 40 runs against Trinity College, Kandy, 45 runs against St.Johns’ College, Jaffna, 30 runs against Royal College, Polonnaruwa, 55 runs with 3 wickets against Maliyadewa College, Kurunegala, 35 runs against Vidyartha College, Kandy and 25 runs with 3 wickets against Kandy Model School. After his achievements in cricket he was selected to the District Cricket Squad under the coaching of Amila Pinnaduwa Provincial Cricket Coach.
Kalana has a long way to go in Athletics as well as Cricket as he is still a Junior Sportsman of the School and he is a bright student with a good future.