Shanika Mihirani the sports star from Hungama

On Jul 11, 2021

Volleyball and Beach Volleyball player, Athlete, Netball player Cricketer and Elle player Vitharana Gamage Shanika Mihirani has brought honour and glory to her school, Vijayaba National School Hungama, Pubudhu Vijayaba Volleyball Club, University of Kelaniya, Brandix Apparels, Welisara with her deeds on the sports field. She hails from Hungama and was born on 5th June, 1992 and she was admitted to Vijayaba National School in 1998 when R. Rathnayake was at the helm of her alma mater and her first class teacher was Mrs. Vajira and from Grade One to Four she did not take part in any sport and her parents Ranjith Hemasiri and M.A.Gnanawathie encouraged their daughter to do at least one sport

In 2002 she participated in the School Inter House Sports Meet in the under ten age category and she came first in High Jump and Long Jump and was placed in the 4 x 100 relay event and in the under 15 age group she won her pet events High Jump and Long Jump and placed in 4 x 100 relay event and in the under 16 she came first in Long Jump and 4 x 100 and in Triple Jump and up to under 17 she continued athletics and gave up and at the Inter House Level she participated in all age groups in Netball, Elle, Volleyball and Cricket until she left school.

In 2005 Shanika commenced volleyball under their Master in Charge and Coach Tharaka Rathnaweera and her teacher in Charge of volleyball was Mrs.Asoka. Same year she commenced hard and strenuous training under .Rathnaweera and her team swept the board in Divisional, Zonal and Provincial Tournaments conducted by Department of Education and participating at the DSI Tournament they came second Runner up and in 2007 in the under 17 age group at the DSI Tournament they came second and though they won all there lower tournaments they could not come up to expectations at the 2008 DSI Tournament but in the same year they won the Mahaweli Tournament held at Polonnaruwa.

Then in the 2009 All Island under 19 girls tournament they secured the second place and representing PubuduVijayaba Club in the Mahaweli and Dialog open tournaments they earned the third place respectively and in 2010 Dayata Kirula open tournament they were the Runner up.

Then in the National Schools Volleyball Tournament held in Polonnaruwa they clinched the Trophy and in 2011 at the 27th Rupavahini open tournament they came third and in the following year at the 38th festival volleyball tournament they came second runner up and in the Sagara Beach Volleyball Tournament organized by Tangalle Police Division Shanika partnering Prabodha emerged champions and in the 2008 National Beach Volleyball Tournament Shanika and Pramodhi swept the board once again and the overseas tour for two of them was cancelled at the eleventh hour. In the Volleyball Tournament organized by Tangalle Police Division for schools in Tangalle District in connection with the 150th Anniversary of Police they emerged champions.

In 2011 she passed the Advanced Level Examination with flying colours and she was selected to the Kelaniya University in 2013. She was a unanimous choice for the Kelaniya Campus girls Volleyball team and in the same year they won the SLUG ( Sri Lanka University Games ) after a lapse of eight years. This Tournament is worked off every four years and she was awarded University Colours and in 2014 they could not come up to expectations and in the 2017 SLUG Tournament they came second from the all universities of the country and on this performances a pool of 20 members were selected and reduced to six to represent Sri Lanka Universities team for a tour of overseas and out of six four members were from Vijayaba National School and they were Shanika, Pramodi, Inosha and Dilhari.

With these performances under her belt she was awarded UGC Colours in 2014 and 2017 and in 2013 she was the Best All round Girls Volleyball player of the Kelaniya Campus and she was awarded university colours. She captained the Faculty Team and University Teams in 2015 and 2016 and in 2016 she was a committee member of the University Sports Council. With all these performances after graduation she joined Polytex Garments Jaela and then Brandix Apparels, Welisara. From there she shifted to Civil Aviation Authority and presently she is employed in the National Insurance Trust Fund Board as a Management Assistant in the Accounts Department and she participated in the Mercantile Tournaments for them.
Shanika Mihirani the sports star from Hungama

The men and girls volleyball teams of University of Kelaniya which participated at the Sri Lanka University Games(SLUG) in 2016. Shanika Mihirani standing in the middle row fourth from right and standing in the last row sixth,seventh and eighth respectively are Mrs. Pushpa Boteju (Coach), Channa Jayasekera (Coach) and Ajith Dissanayake Master In Charge of volleyball teams. (Picture by Dilwin Mendis, Moratuwa Sports Special Correspondent).