Kavindi Nethsandi an athlete par excellence
Kavindi Nethsandi Wickramanayake Karunaratne posed for a photograph with her school officials after receiving the John Tarbet Colours for Under 14 Putt Shot event held at Anuradhapura in 2014. Standing L/R – Mr. Akalanka (PTI), Devika Madurangani (teacher in Charge of Athletics), Kavindi Nethsandi, Indika Wanigaratne (Master in Charge of Athletics and Coach).
(Picture by Dilwin Mendis Moratuwa Sports Special Corrrespondent)
Athlete John Tarbet Junior and Senior Provincial, All Island Schools Athletic Champion and up and coming school Best Athlete for the year 2020 and Ceylonese Track and Field All Island Junior Record Holder in Putt Shot Kavindi Nethsandi Wickramanayake Karunaratne has brought honour and glory to St. Marys College Matugama and Taxila Central College Horana with her deeds on the athletic field.
Kavindi was born on 28th August 2005 and adimited to St.Marys College Matugama in 2011 During this period there was no annual sports meets at this school and she participated for the Team Events at the Divisional Meet in five events and they won two and at the Zonal Meet they could not come up to expectations.
Her Parents Udaya Wickramanayake Karunaratne and Shyma Rajapaksha noticing their daughter’s talents admitted her to Taxila Central College Horana in 2016 and she came under the school coaches Indika Wanigaratne and R.K.Malinga. She participated in the 100 metre event in 2016 and 2017 and she was unsuccessful. But in the following year she did Putt Shot in the under 14 age group and came first and in the Zonal Meet too she came first and in the Provincial Meet she came Seventh and got Colours and in the John Tarbet Junior Meet she won the Putt Shot Event with a distance of 9.64 Metres and received Colours.
In 2019 at the school sports meet she won the Putt Shot, Discus and Javelin and Swept the board and became the under 16 Champion and at the Zonal Meet she came first in Putt Shot and second in Discus and at the Provincial Meet she came second and received colours and at the All Island under 16 Putt Shot she won with a distance of 11.59 metres and received Colours and participating at the All Island Senior Athletic Championship she came second with a distance of 11.18 metres and won colours and at the Junior Tarbet Meet she came first in Putt Shot with a distance of 11.33 metres and set a record and received Colours.
She participated for the Ceylonese Track and Field Athletic Club All Island Meet and at the under 16 Putt Shot event she had a 11.28 metre throw and set a record.
Then in the 2020 school Inter House Sports Meet she was the under 16 Champion and she received the Award for the Best up and Coming Girls Athlete from the school. Also she participated in the 2020 Kalutara Distrcit Athletic Association Meet and in the under 16 Putt Shot event she won a Gold Medal.