{"id":142286,"date":"2024-09-25T07:16:51","date_gmt":"2024-09-25T07:16:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=142286"},"modified":"2024-09-26T05:51:34","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T05:51:34","slug":"dr-hmp-hubert-mathias-peter-perera-aka-humpy-national-athletics-champion-220-440-yards-by-ravi-rudra-auckland-new-zealand-25th-sep-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/dr-hmp-hubert-mathias-peter-perera-aka-humpy-national-athletics-champion-220-440-yards-by-ravi-rudra-auckland-new-zealand-25th-sep-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. HMP \u2018Hubert Mathias Peter\u2019 PERERA (aka Humpy) –\u00a0National Athletics Champion 220 & 440 yards – By Ravi Rudra, Auckland, New Zealand, 25th\u00a0Sep 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dr. HMP \u2018Hubert Mathias Peter\u2019 PERERA (aka Humpy) –\u00a0<\/span><\/b>National Athletics Champion 220 & 440 yards – <\/span>By Ravi Rudra, Auckland, New Zealand, 25th<\/sup>\u00a0Sep 2024<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Hubert<\/p>\n

Dear Friends<\/span><\/p>\n

I am extremely delighted to share a compilation (attached) on\u00a0one of Sri Lanka\u2019s finest 220 & 440 yards athlete<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Dr. HMP \u2018Humpy\u2019 Perera<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Until now very little has been known about this unassuming former track champion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hence, I am truly grateful to Dr. HMP\u2019s daughter Kumu (Kumudini) Fernando & nephew and former Thomian,\u00a0Dayantha Perera for assisting me with relevant information and precious photos.<\/span><\/p>\n

I must also thank both Manilka Wijesooriya (who encouraged me to do the research by putting me in tough with Kumu) and Deepal Lecamwasam (who introduced me to his former classmate Dayantha).<\/span><\/p>\n

(09 Sep 1920 \u2013 25 Dec 1991)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • (09 Sep 1920 \u2013 25 Dec 1991) National Champion 220 yards \u2013 1939 (22.8s), 1943 (23.7s) & 1945 (23.6s).<\/span><\/li>\n
  • National Champion 440 yards \u2013 1938 (51.0s), 1939 (50.4s), 1941 (51.1s), 1942 (51.8s), 1943 (51.7s), 1945 (51.4s) & 1950 (50.9s).<\/span><\/li>\n
  • National Record Holder \u2013 both 440 yards (50.4s \u2013 28.10.39) & 400 metres (49.9s \u2013 05.01.1946).<\/span><\/li>\n
  • First Sri Lankan to run the 400m in under 50.0s.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Dr. HMP \u2018Hubert Mathias Peter\u2019 PERERA (aka Humpy) National Athletics Champion 220 & 440 yards<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    • (09 Sep 1920 \u2013 25 Dec 1991) National Champion 220 yards \u2013 1939 (22.8s), 1943 (23.7s) & 1945 (23.6s).<\/span><\/li>\n
    • National Champion 440 yards \u2013 1938 (51.0s), 1939 (50.4s), 1941 (51.1s), 1942 (51.8s), 1943 (51.7s), 1945 (51.4s) & 1950 (50.9s).<\/span><\/li>\n
    • National Record Holder \u2013 both 440 yards (50.4s \u2013 28.10.39) & 400 metres (49.9s \u2013 05.01.1946).<\/span><\/li>\n
    • First Sri Lankan to run the 400m in under 50.0s.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      (Compiled by Ravi Rudra, Auckland, New Zealand, 25th Sep 2024)<\/span><\/p>\n

      An Inherent Gift For Excelling<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      \"hmp<\/span><\/p>\n

      19 year-old HMP Perera \u2013 Winner of the Wilton Bartleet Trophy for the Most Outstanding Performance at the 1939 National Athletics Meet.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

      Born in Moratuwa, Dr HMP Perera (HMP) began his early schooling at St. Sebastian\u2019s prior to entering S. Thomas\u2019 College, Mt Lavinia. Surprisingly, he left STC to join St. Joseph’s where he began his athletics career as senior (helping SJC to win the 1937 Senior Tarbat) before entering Colombo Medical College.<\/span><\/p>\n

      HMP blossomed into a top athlete during his University days, and later with the Nemeans Athletics Club where he won several National Titles and Records. He won his first National title on the day after his 18th birthday and at age 19 won the Wilton Bartleet Trophy for Best Performance at the Nationals for winning the 220 yards (22.8s) and 440 yards in a record time (50.4s) \u2013 a record that stood for 23 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

      The most astonishing aspect of his athletics career is that HMP seemed not to have had a proper coach or mentor. He was accomplishing outstanding feats, both as a student and as a self-made athlete, by sheer self-motivation, discipline and determination in order to maximize his God-given natural talents and abilities. Hard work, training, and mental<\/span>
      \nresilience were also critical for his elite performances. HMP was selected to represent Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in dual meets against India but was very unlucky to have missed out on selection for the 1948 London Olympics due to a bout of amoebiasis, an infection of the intestines.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Remarkably, HMP was selected as Manager of the Athletics Team, at the tender age of 29 (for a manager), for the 1950 British Empire Games held in Auckland, New Zealand. He had a knack of excelling at a younger age than most.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Having had the distinction of becoming the first Sri Lankan to run the 400 metres in under 50 seconds, HMP retired triumphantly from competitive Athletics in 1950, when he won his seventh 440 yards National title. Crowned as the 220 yards National champion for three years, he was also part of the Nemeans AC 4×440 relay team that set a National Record (3m 34.0s) in 1939. That is some achievement to be proud of! <\/span><\/p>\n

      \"hmp<\/span><\/p>\n

      Whenever Dr. HMP was approached for trophy donations he was known to give away, selflessly, some of his prized-trophies to be awarded to young athletes.<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Dr HMP Perera married Eileen on 30th October 1947.<\/span><\/p>\n

      \"hmp<\/span><\/p>\n

      HMP loved his music, especially singing. Apparently he could sing all the songs from \u2018My Fair Lady\u2019 and possibly knew the entire dialogue from the movie by heart. Academics \u2013 Athletics \u2013 Music \u2013 Character, what an ideal combination for anyone!<\/span><\/p>\n

      On a personal note, I met Dr HMP Perera, for the first time, at his Kollupitiya residence in Oct 1969 when I was taken to see him by both, Mr. ECK Abeysekera (master-in-charge of athletics) and Mr. NM Perera (coach), few days after tearing my hamstring very badly at the Pubs Athletics meet. He had a real presence about him and even though I met him again, in 1972, while training at the college grounds and we spoke, he never once mentioned about his feats on the track. May his gentle soul rest in eternal peace.<\/span><\/p>\n

      – Ravi Rudra<\/span><\/p>\n

      \"hmp<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u201cH.M.P. Perera who later became a medical doctor was probably the most prominent athlete of all. Perera representing Nemeans Sports Club, in 1945, won both the 220 yards (23.6 secs) and the 440 yards (51.4 secs).<\/span><\/p>\n

      Perera held the national record of the 440 yards for 23 years from 1939 and produced Asia\u2019s fastest time of the distance 49.5 seconds at an Indo-Lanka dual in 1946.<\/span><\/p>\n

      At the same meet, which was held in Bangalore, Duncan White ran an Asian record time of 54.9 seconds to win the 400m hurdles. The quarter mile specialist Perera was unbeaten at National Championships. His name appears as the winner of nationals in 1938, 39, 41, 42, 43, 45 and 50.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

      (By Reemus Fernando for The Island, 25 Dec 2020)<\/span><\/p>\n

      My Father<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      By Kumudini (Kumu) Fernando, eldest daughter of Dr HMP Perera <\/span><\/p>\n

      \u201cYou are not going to believe this, but I am sadly ignorant of what my father did. Thathi rarely spoke of his achievements. And we didn\u2019t press him to tell us either.<\/span><\/p>\n

      My father, Hubert Mathias Peter (HMP) Perera, was born on the 9th of September 1920 to Mr. D.E.W. and Mrs. Emily Perera in Moratuwa. He was the fourth in a family of twelve. Six boys and six girls. Two of the girls did not reach adulthood. He was one of three doctors in that family.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Father gained the name Humpy , because of his initials HMP. Some child at St. Thomas\u2019 College, Mt Lavinia, named him thus, on the 1st day of school at STC. I have no clue as to what he did at STC. STC probably didn\u2019t foster his athletic prowess, so he left school and joined St. Joseph\u2019s College Maradana and won the Tarbet Cup (1937).\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

      \"hmp<\/span><\/p>\n

      HMP Perera (St. Joseph\u2019s College, Colombo) receiving the Sir John Tarbat Challenge Trophy for winning the 1937 Public Schools Championships.<\/span><\/p>\n

      *St. Joseph\u2019s College beat St. Patrick\u2019s College, Jaffna for the Senior Tarbat Trophy in 1937 and also took the Jefferson Challenge Cup for Senior Relays by winning both the 4×110 yards (47.0s) and 4×440 yards (3m 42.0s) \u2013 RR].<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u201cI understand having passed whatever exam to gain entrance to Medical College, he was considered too young to enter Medical College that year.<\/span><\/p>\n

      I assume he represented the university in the following years. I don\u2019t know for sure. He didn\u2019t have any formal training – I think. Just inborn ability.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

      1938 & 39 UNIVERSITY COLLEGE ATHLETICS CERTIFICATES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      \"hmp<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      1939 – Ceylon National Athletics Championships<\/em><\/strong><\/span>
      \n440 Yards National Champion & National Record (50.4s)<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      \"\" \"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

      With the Ceylon Team at the 1950 British Empire Games (Held in Auckland, New Zealand, 4th \u2013 11th Feb 1950)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      \"hmp<\/span><\/p>\n

      HMP Perera (aged 29), Manager of the Ceylon Empire Games Athletics Team (2nd from right \u2013 back row), with some of the members of the team photographed on the deck of the Orcades on arrival in Melbourne. They were on their way to Auckland, New Zealand.<\/p>\n

      Duncan White is 2nd from right \u2013 front row<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Empire Games at Eden Park, Auckland 04-11 Feb 1950<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Ceylon team at the 1950 British Empire Games opening, Eden Park, Auckland<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      \"hmp<\/span><\/p>\n

      (Photos courtesy of Archives New Zealand \u2013 RR)<\/span><\/p>\n

      1950 British Empire Games | Film | NZ On Screen<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

      \"hmp<\/span><\/p>\n

      Team from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) for the 1950 British Empire Games at Eden Park, Auckland. Shows the athletes wearing their official uniforms and parading round the track during the opening ceremony. Photograph taken on 4 February 1950 by an Evening Post photographer.<\/p>\n

      http:\/\/api.digitalnz.org\/records\/22433300\/source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

      Athletics at the 1950 British Empire Games \u2013 Men’s 440 yards hurdles Final<\/span><\/p>\n

      Gold \u2013 Duncan White (Ceylon) 52.5s (Games Record)<\/span><\/p>\n

      Silver \u2013 John Holland (New Zealand) 52.7s<\/span><\/p>\n

      Bronze \u2013 Geoff Goodacre (Australia) 53.1s<\/span><\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Sri Lanka’s 1st.Ever Track Gold: Duncan White- 440Yds.Hurdles,1950 Empire Games, Auckland, NZ<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

      (photos from rare TV footage<\/span><\/p>\n