{"id":142968,"date":"2024-10-06T05:42:15","date_gmt":"2024-10-06T05:42:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=142968"},"modified":"2024-10-06T05:46:56","modified_gmt":"2024-10-06T05:46:56","slug":"sunil-benedict-gunawardena-the-sri-lankan-bullet-by-ravi-rudra-to-mark-sunil-gunawardenas-75th-birthday-on-6th-oct-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/sunil-benedict-gunawardena-the-sri-lankan-bullet-by-ravi-rudra-to-mark-sunil-gunawardenas-75th-birthday-on-6th-oct-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"SUNIL BENEDICT GUNAWARDENA \u2013 THE SRI LANKAN BULLET! (by Ravi Rudra to mark Sunil Gunawardena\u2019s 75th Birthday on 6th Oct 2024)"},"content":{"rendered":"

SUNIL BENEDICT GUNAWARDENA \u2013 THE SRI LANKAN BULLET!\u00a0<\/span> (by Ravi Rudra to mark Sunil Gunawardena\u2019s 75th Birthday on 6th Oct 2024)<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

*His association with Sri Lanka Athletics \u2013 as an Athlete, Coach, Manager & Administrator \u2013 extends to 57 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

At 75 Sunil Gunawardena currently leads a team of Fitness Coaches training U19 Boys & Girls around the country sponsored by Sri Lanka Cricket.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Most Phenomenal Schoolboy Athlete Of All Time!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSunil Gunawardena\u2019s achievements stands as perhaps the best in history of Sri Lankan School\u2019s Athletics.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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

Dear Sunil, thank you for your friendship and inspiration.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Wishing you the Very Best of Health & Happiness on your 75th<\/sup>\u00a0Birthday.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

God Bless! \u2013 Ravi<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

– Ravi Rudra –<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

The Most Phenomenal Schoolboy Athlete Of All Time!\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor a schoolboy with just a year\u2019s athletics behind him Sunil\u00a0 Gunawardena\u2019s achievement stands as the best in the 49-year-old history\u00a0 of Ceylon School\u2019s Athletics.\u201d \u2013 Pubs, 1968<\/span><\/p>\n

HIGHLIGHTS OF SUNIL GUNAWARDENA\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Sunil\"– 1968<\/b>: Champion at Relay Carnival, Group\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Meets, District Meets, Junior Nationals and\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Public Schools in his very first year of athletics.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

– Breaks three Pubs Records and wins Five <\/span>events at his very first Pubs.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

– First Schoolboy to break the 11-sec barrier\u00a0 <\/span>for the 100 metres (10.9s). Same year he beat the\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Sri Lankan national champions at trials and won\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Gold in the 200m at the Thai Open, in a time of\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>21.6s which was better than the Ceylon record.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

– Set 100m (10.5s) & 200m (21.7s) national\u00a0 <\/span>records on his 21<\/span>st <\/span>birthday, on grass tracks, that\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>stood for over 20 years,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

-National 4x100m, 4x200m & 4x400m record\u00a0 <\/span>holder with CT&FC.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

– Asia\u2019s fastest time for the 200m (21.31s) at the\u00a0 <\/span>1972 Munich Olympics.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

– Asian Games 4x400m Gold Medallist (1974\u00a0 <\/span>Teheran) & record holder.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

– <\/span>Internationally trained Coach who has learnt\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>from the likes of Carl Lewis, Cathy Freeman,\u00a0 <\/span>Jacky Joyner and Usain Bolt. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

– Highly successful Coach who has produced\u00a0 <\/span>the most medal winning athletes from Sri Lanka.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

– Coaching & mentoring young athletes for over 50 years with his wife and\u00a0 former Sprint Queen KG Badra without charging a cent for their work and\u00a0 ensuring none of them take to drugs or illegal substances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

– Executive Committee Member of the Sri Lanka Athletics Association from\u00a0 1996 to 1997, Vice-President in 1998\/1999, President in 2000\/2001, Vice\u00a0 President, National Olympic Committee (NOC), Vice President, South\u00a0 Asian Athletics Board, National Athletics Manager, Chef-de-Mission (2000\u00a0 Sydney, Olympic Games).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

– Coordinating Secretary to Minister of Sports (1994-2000), Cricket Board\u00a0 Member during Sri Lanka\u2019s 1996 World Cup victory.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

– Director General of Sports and Physical Education of Sri Lanka Higher\u00a0 Education, Coordinating Secretary to the Minister of Rural Development\u00a0 Affairs, Chairman – Industrial Development Board, Chairman – National\u00a0 Design Centre, Deputy Chairman – Life Stock Development Board.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

– Currently, at the age of 75, (2024) Chief Fitness Trainer for U19 Boys &\u00a0 Girls District Cricket Teams (island-wide) as part of a National Fitness\u00a0 Program with Sri Lanka Cricket.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBoy Wonder from Chilaw \u2013 Sunil Gunawardena\u201d <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

Sunil Gunawardena destroying his competitors.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Notorious Childhood\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Born in Bandarawatta, Kakkapalliya, Chilaw on 06<\/span>th <\/span>October 1949 to Joseph\u00a0 Gunawardena and Harriet Exceda, Sunil was the second in a family of six\u00a0 children \u2013 one elder brother, two younger brothers and two sisters. He was\u00a0 a product of St Mary\u2019s Chilaw and grew up as a very stubborn, notorious\u00a0 child who would get things he wanted by hook or by crook.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Tagged by the nickname \u2018<\/span>Josage Yaksha Patiya<\/span><\/i>\u2019 he was a devil by nature. He\u00a0 was even taken by his parents to the Colombo General Hospital to find out\u00a0 if he had any psychological defect that made him this way.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A STAR IS BORN\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In 1968, Sunil Gunawardena burst into lime light in his very first year of\u00a0 Public Schools Athletics. He participated in his first Inter-House Athletics\u00a0 Meet, and from thereon registered victory after victory as he single handedly helped his school (St Mary\u2019s Chilaw) win the Relay Carnival, the\u00a0 Jefferson Challenge Trophy and the Tarbat Trophy for Outstation Schools,\u00a0 while establishing two stunning individual Public Schools Records for the\u00a0 100m (<\/span>10.9<\/b>s) and the 200m (<\/span>22.3<\/b>s) at the 1968 Pubs. He became an\u00a0 overnight sensation!\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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

Sunil Gunawardena didn\u2019t know that he could run, not till he was 17\u00a0 anyway. He was just messing around playing cricket back then. A future\u00a0 Olympic Athlete was born very unexpectedly!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was never an athlete during my U13, U14, U15, U16 or U17 days. In\u00a0 1967, when I was still 17 years old, there was a boy in my school who\u00a0 was the District Champion for our area. He was training to participate in\u00a0 the All-Island Meet and he asked me if I would help him by running a\u00a0 handicap race (where he would give me a few metres lead at the start) to\u00a0 improve his timing. So I volunteered but he couldn\u2019t beat me in the race.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

One of our School Math\u2019s master, Mr. Joseph Fernando who witnessed\u00a0 this told me \u2018Sunil, I don\u2019t think he can catch you, so run against him tomorrow in a proper race\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

So the next day I ran and much to the surprise of everyone I defeated the\u00a0 \u2018Wayamba District Champion\u2019 and that\u2019s the day I realised I had some\u00a0 talent in sprinting.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Most Stunning Debut\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

Seeing how well Sunil performed in the practice session, the Math master\u00a0 took a small school team to the Colombo Oval in August 1968, and Sunil\u00a0 took part in the Public Schools Relay Carnival for the very first time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn 1968, Mr. Joseph Fernando came up to me and said, \u2018Sunil now you\u00a0 are the fastest runner in this area. So shall we take part in the Relay\u00a0 Carnival and Public Schools?\u2019\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd that\u2019s how I came (with a very small team from St. Mary\u2019s Chilaw)\u00a0 for the first time to participate in an athletics event in Colombo at the\u00a0 1968 Relay Carnival.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We won the senior (U19) 4×100, 4×200 & 4×400 meter relays and won\u00a0 the Relay Carnival. Up to then St. Joseph\u2019s College had won the Relay\u00a0 Carnival for Seven years in a row, since the competition began in 1961.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1968 Relay Carnival \u2013 Colombo Oval\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

ONE-MAN SHOW\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

\"SunilSunil Gunawardena\u2026..Star of the\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Carnival\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

St Mary\u2019s Chilaw are Relay\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Champs\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care if others are 5, 10 or 20 metres in\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

front of me. I just run as fast as I can\u201d – Sunil\u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

St Mary\u2019s Chilaw star athlete Sunil Gunawardena streaks ahead to take the\u00a0 4×100 metres relay for senior boys beating St Benedict\u2019s (nearest to the\u00a0 camera) and Issipathana MMV at the Relay Carnival.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLack of opportunities to take part in other sports has brought a new \u2018star\u2019 to\u00a0 Local Athletics \u2013 Sunil B. Gunawardena, the boy who helped St. Mary\u2019s Chilaw,\u00a0 become the first Outstation Schools\u2019 win the 1968 Ceylon Schools Relay Carnival\u00a0 at the Colombo Oval. St. Mary\u2019s Chilaw became Champions by ending the seven year dominance of St. Joseph\u2019s College, Colombo at the Eighth Relay Carnival\u00a0 held at the Colombo Oval grounds.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

St. Mary\u2019s scored 47 points in the Boy\u2019s (Seniors and Juniors) to take the Ceylon\u00a0 Daily News Challenge Trophy, while S. Thomas\u2019 College, Mt Lavinia and St\u00a0 Peter\u2019s College tied for second place with 37 points each.<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Full credit to St Mary\u2019s remarkable show goes to <\/span><\/i>18-year old Sunil B.\u00a0 Gunawardena <\/i><\/b>who ran three fantastic anchor laps to collect 45 of their 47\u00a0 points. It was those three blistering runs by Gunawardena in the 4×100, 4×200 &\u00a0 4,400 Metres Relay for Seniors (U19) that helped them to win all Three Relays\u00a0 and the Ceylon Daily News Trophy for the Boys Championships.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Terrific Burst of Speed\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Gunawardena received the baton way behind the rest of the field \u2013 especially in the 4x200m about 10 metres behind St. Peter\u2019s and Mahinda\u00a0 College \u2018anchor\u2019 lappers, but he unleashed a terrific burst of speed in the\u00a0 home-stretch for a convincing win.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTaking part in the same meet as a 14-year old, when we (STC) won both the\u00a0 Junior (U16) \u2013 4x100m & 4x200m relays (in fact our entire under 16 relay team\u00a0 was a year junior), I watched with awe the brilliant sight of Sunil (in black singlet\u00a0 and black shorts) scorch the track in winning the Senior (U19) – 4×100, 4×200 &\u00a0 4×400 relays for St Mary\u2019s Chilaw. He was like a cheetah chasing prey!\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

The meet also happened to be the final time, that the former Thomian legendary\u00a0 athlete and coach, as well as the former secretary of Sri Lanka Athletics, Mr\u00a0 Brookie D\u2019 Silva attended an athletics meet in Sri Lanka (just prior to his\u00a0 migration to Australia). Brookie was the Chief Guest while Mrs D\u2019 Silva\u00a0 distributed the prizes.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

A month later (end Sep 1968) the Junior AAA Nationals, held at the Colombo\u00a0 Oval, was memorable for both Sunil and me. While he easily galloped to win the\u00a0 100m & 200m, smashing the record for the U19 200m, I broke both the U15\u00a0 100m and 200m records in front of my Mum who had come to see me run for the\u00a0 very first time. My twin brother Hari won the U15 discus title, so it was a very\u00a0 special day for us.\u201d – Ravi Rudra\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

1968 PUBS\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Two months after the Relay Carnival came Sunil\u2019s very first appearance at a\u00a0 Public Schools Championship Meet at St. Peter\u2019s College, grounds on the\u00a0 11th & 12th Oct,1968. On the first day Sunil won the U19 long jump with a\u00a0 fine leap of 21\u2019 11 \u00bd\u201d \u2013 just 2 \u00bd inches short of Royalist, N.A. Weeratunge\u2019s\u00a0 13-year-old record of 22\u2019 2\u201d set in 1955.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sunil Gunawardana – Bolt of Lightning\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

First schoolboy to run 100 metres in under 11 seconds \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

On the final day of the (1968) Public Schools Meet, Sunil brought a packed\u00a0 crowd to their feet when he shattered both the <\/span>100m (10.9s) <\/b>and <\/span>200m\u00a0 (22.3s) <\/b>Pubs individual records.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

He also anchored his team to brilliant victories in both the 4x100m (45.7s)\u00a0 and 4x400m (in a new record of 3m 31.3s), thus single-handedly helping St\u00a0 Mary\u2019s Chilaw win for the first time both the \u2018Outstations\u2019 Tarbat and\u00a0 Jefferson Challenge Cup for Senior Relays. Sunil didn\u2019t know until he saw\u00a0 the newspapers next day that the headline mentioned that he was the\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFirst ever schoolboy to break the 11-second barrier with his time of 10.9s\u201d.\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Greeks had Mercury \u2013 their fleet messenger on his feet. Today in our little\u00a0 island, a schoolboy \u2013 <\/span><\/i>SUNIL BENEDICT GUNAWARDENA <\/i><\/b>of St. Mary\u2019s\u00a0 Chilaw, has with mercurial fleetness captured the hearts and imagination of\u00a0 young and old all over Ceylon with his incredible performances at the Ceylon\u00a0 Schools Athletics Championships.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

The 18-year-old coffee coloured athlete from a remote village in Chilaw\u00a0 made everyone stand up and cheer as he clocked the amazing times of <\/span><\/i>10.9\u00a0 secs <\/i><\/b>in the 100 metres and <\/span><\/i>22.3 <\/i><\/b>secs in the 200 metres to write up two New\u00a0 Public School\u2019s Records. For a schoolboy with just a year\u2019s athletics behind\u00a0 him Sunil Gunawardena\u2019s achievement stands as the best in the 49-year-old\u00a0 history of Ceylon School\u2019s Athletics.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

The Secret\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

What is it that makes this shy and simple village lad the champion that he is\u00a0 today? According to Sunil, \u2018I run just for the love of it, but put in diligent training\u00a0 under my coach Joseph Fernando and believe that regular training is a must if\u00a0 anyone wishes to climb the ladder of fame\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Sunil was discovered in an obscure village Church yard in Bandarawatte and\u00a0 from the moment he was spotted by a talent scout, who knew is \u2018onions\u2019, Sunil\u00a0 has made remarkable headway to be considered Ceylon\u2019s best hope for the 1970\u00a0 Asian Games in Bangkok and 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Sunil completed a treble by winning the long jump and helped his school to win\u00a0 the Jefferson Trophy for Relays with scorching anchor laps \u2013 the first Outstation\u00a0 School to win it in 30 years (Trinity College won in 1938) and helped them crack\u00a0 4x400m Relay Record with 3m 31.4s. S. Thomas\u2019 College helped by their Juniors, R. Rudra and J.L.C. Salgado, won the overall Championship.\u201d\u00a0 – The Messenger, 19 Oct 1968<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

He\u2019s a Freak! \u2013 The Ceylon Observer\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSunil Benedict Gunawardena, that 18-year-old bundle of athletic dynamite came\u00a0 in with such scorching performances that he had them shouting, <\/span><\/i>\u2018he\u2019s a freak\u2019! <\/i><\/b>He became the first-ever schoolboy to crack the eleven-second barrier in the 100\u00a0 metres at the Ceylon Schools Athletic Championships concluded yesterday at the\u00a0 St. Peter\u2019s grounds.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Unchallenged leaving the rest of the field trailing behind he hit the tapes in isolated\u00a0 splendour to clock <\/span><\/i>10.9 <\/i><\/b>seconds in the Under 19 <\/span><\/i>100 metres<\/i><\/b>. He axed 0.3 seconds\u00a0 off the old record of 11.2s set by Ivor Francke in 1965, having broken it in the heats\u00a0 on day one with a time of 11.1s. Sunil Gunawardena was a mere 0.1 second off the\u00a0 Ceylon and All Comers mark held by India\u2019s Markan Singh and Ceylon\u2019s Bernard\u00a0 Atwell of 10.8s.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

That All Comers and Ceylon mark could well have been his yesterday, but for that\u00a0 swelling on his groin. \u201cIt still hurts\u201d, he said. For a boy who started athletics in a\u00a0 serious tone just a year ago, Sunil Gunawardena could be rated as one of the best\u00a0 to emerge for a long, long time, and prove that the outstation boy if given the proper\u00a0 incentive and encouragement, can be a champion.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

On day one of the Championship, this dusky and beautifully proportioned athlete\u00a0 also went on to win the Long Jump with a winning distance of 21\u2019 11 \u00bd\u201d, to fall 2\u00a0 \u00bd inches short of N.A. Weeratunge\u2019s 13-year-old record of 22\u2019 2\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

TWO MORE\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Gunawardena made it a \u201cOne-Man Show\u201d. He set another record when he returned\u00a0 <\/span><\/i>22.3 <\/i><\/b>seconds in the <\/span><\/i>200 metres<\/i><\/b>, chopping 0.6 seconds off the record held by\u00a0 Royalist Darrel Liversz (22.9s for the 220 yards). He was a mere 0.1 second off\u00a0 Duncan White\u2019s \u2013 the other athlete considered a freak \u2013 mark of 22.2 seconds for\u00a0 the 220 yards set in 1944 . White achieved this timing as a matured Ceylon athlete!\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

(Note: W. Wimaladasa, also clocked 22.2s in 1966. Sunil\u2019s time of 22.3s was only\u00a0 0.2s behind the National mark set by D.K. Podimahatmaya on 05.03.1968 – RR).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

There was just one more public schools record and Sunil Gunawardena had a hand\u00a0 at that one too. He ran a superb anchor lap for St. Mary\u2019s Chilaw in the <\/span><\/i>4×400\u00a0 metres <\/i><\/b>relay just after his record-breaking 100 metres run and helped in a big way\u00a0 to clock <\/span><\/i>3m 31.3 <\/i><\/b>seconds. It knocked 0.3s off the old mark held by St. Joseph\u2019s.<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

And last but not least, it should be mentioned that this is the first time that Sunil\u00a0 Gunawardena took part in the big Ceylon School\u2019s Meet, formerly known as the\u00a0 Public Schools Championships. St Mary\u2019s Chilaw walked away with the Jefferson\u00a0 Cup having won both the senior relays.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

FIVE FROM FIVE\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe only reason I did the long jump, at the Pubs, was that my coach\u00a0 instructed me to do a third individual event to get some points for my school.\u201d <\/span>Sunil used his raw speed to the board and cleared just under 22\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

feet to win the long jump title. This was in addition to blistering the field in\u00a0 both the 4×100 and 4×400 relays, setting a new Pubs record in the latter.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

FIVE EVENTS \u2013 FIVE FIRSTS! <\/span>Wonder if such a phenomenal achievement had been ever done before or after, let alone in the debut year of an athlete!\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

TEAM OF ONLY FOUR\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

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

(L-R): Nelson Perera, Sunil Gunawardena, Dervin Perera, U.C. Gamini. <\/span><\/p>\n

S.Thomas\u2019 College Mt. Lavinia took the Tarbat Cup for overall Champions (1968),\u00a0 thanks largely due to the efforts of their Juniors. But the honours surely went to St.\u00a0 Mary\u2019s Chilaw who, with just Sunil Gunawardena and three others \u2013 all Seniors \u2013 took 68 points thus winning the Tarbat Cup for \u2018Outstation\u2019 Schools and also the\u00a0 Jefferson Cup for Relays.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0– Ceylon Observer (13.10.1968)<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c12<\/span><\/i>th <\/span><\/i>Oct 1968 was another memorable day for both Sunil and me. While Sunil\u00a0 broke the 11-second barrier for a schoolboy, I became the first 14-year old to\u00a0 break the 12-sec barrier for the 100m (11.9s) and 25-sec barrier for the 200m\u00a0 (24.4s) in winning both events for U16 against those a year senior to me. I would\u00a0 regard this to be my best performances on the track.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 Ravi Rudra\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo be honest I did not know as to how good my Pubs timings such as\u00a0 10.9s for the 100m and 22.3s for the 200m were until I read the\u00a0 headlines in the papers the next day.\u201d \u2013 Sunil\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u201cMy early success was due to the parental backing I received. Though my\u00a0 father was no athlete, he gave me the encouragement and this spurred\u00a0 me along.\u201d – Sunil<\/span><\/p>\n

Shortly after the 1968 Pubs schoolboy Sunil created yet another sensation\u00a0 when he equalled the 200m National Record of <\/span>22.2s <\/b>held by both Duncan\u00a0 White and W. Wimaladasa at the All-Island Government Schools 12<\/span>th<\/span> Annual Athletics Meet, held at the Sugathadasa Stadium. He was adjudged\u00a0 as Most Outstanding Athlete of the meet and awarded the Maithripala\u00a0 Senanayake Trophy while KG Badra was awarded the Hurulle Trophy \u2013 for\u00a0 the most outstanding athlete for girls.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u201cFollowing my success at the 1968 Pubs and in India, Mr. Julian Grero,\u00a0 President of Sri Lanka Athletics, asked me to run in a trial to pick the\u00a0 Ceylon Team. At the trials I beat stars likes D.K. Podimahatmaya and W.\u00a0 Wimaladasa with a time of 21.6s for the 200m and was picked to\u00a0 represent Ceylon at the Thai Open Track and Field Athletic\u00a0 Championships, in Bangkok, where I won Gold, again clocking 21.6s.\u201d – Sunil<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\"sunil\"1968 – <\/b>NINETEEN-YEAR OLD\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Sunil Gunawardena, that rising\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>young track star from Chilaw,\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>equalled former crack Indian\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>athlete Milkha Singh\u2019s All\u00a0<\/span>Comers mark and bettered D.K.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Podimahatmaya\u2019s Ceylon record\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>of 22.1s (set in 1968) when he\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>returned a fantastic time of\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>21.6s <\/b>for the 200 metres at the\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Ceylon AAA trials at the\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Colombo University grounds.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Podimahatmaya who finished\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>second in this race, about three\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>yards behind Gunawardena, also\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>improved on his own mark with\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>a time of 22.0 seconds.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Earlier in the day these two\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>athletes meeting in the 100\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>metres made it a classic race\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>with a neck-to-neck battle from\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>start to finish. Gunawardena won\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>by inches with both timed at\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>10.9 <\/b>seconds.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Dec 1968 \u2013 Gold at Thai Open Track & Field Championship<\/span> <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\u2013<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbove picture: Four of Ceylon\u2019s squad of six athletes who bagged seven\u00a0 golds, three silver and one bronze at the Thai Open Track and Field\u00a0 Athletic Championships held in Bangkok. Mr. Julian Grero, President of the\u00a0 Ceylon AAA is seen garlanding S.L.B. Rosa on their arrival at Katunayake\u00a0 Airport. Gold medallists, Sunil Gunawardena is at the extreme left & W.\u00a0 Wimaladasa 3rd from left.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rosa broke the 10,000 metres South East Asian Peninsula (SEAP) Games\u00a0 record with a time of 32m 37.6s. The most outstanding feature of the games\u00a0 was schoolgirl sensation, KG Badra of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya,\u00a0 winning two golds in the 100m (12.4s) & 200m (26.2s) for women in record\u00a0 times for the meet. In the process she also bettered Nirmala Dissanayake\u2019s\u00a0 100m Ceylon record by 0.3s and equalled Nirmala\u2019s Ceylon record for the\u00a0 200m.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In Sunil Gunawardena, who won Gold in the 200m (<\/span>21.6s<\/b>) and Badra we\u00a0 have two potential Asian Games medal winners. It\u2019s 1969 now and it\u2019s not\u00a0 too late to start training them for the next year\u2019s Asian Games. With\u00a0 methodical training and foreign competition they are certain to go places.\u201d\u00a0 \u2013 Press Report<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

GOLDS IN INDIA \u2013 MAY 1969\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Soon after bursting into limelight Sunil Gunawardena made a golden debut\u00a0 for CT & FC at the C. Prasannakumar Memorial Athletic Meet (an Indian\u00a0 Open Invitation event, competing against top clubs from all over India) in\u00a0 Bangalore winning two gold medals and a silver.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He beat India\u2019s sprint champion, A.P. Ramaswamy to win the 200m and\u00a0 then ran a superb 3<\/span>rd <\/span>leg to take the lead back and help his club win the\u00a0 4x400m relay from Southern Railways Athletics Association.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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

Epic Duel in Bangalore\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

(Indian Express)\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

\u2018CT&FC \u2018s Sunil Gunawardena (2<\/span>nd <\/span>from left) beating the highly fancied\u00a0 Indian sprint champion, A.P. Ramaswamy (to his right) by 0.2s in the 200m\u00a0 at the C. Prasannakumar Memorial Athletics Meet in Bangalore.\u00a0 Balakrishnan (extreme right) was 3<\/span>rd <\/span>and J. Pamphlis (middle) 4<\/span>th<\/span>.\u00a0 Gunawardena, the Ceylon National Champion and just out of school, came\u00a0 off the bend at top gear and won with a brilliant burst of speed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Keen competition is the life blood of any athletic meet\u2026. This was amply\u00a0 substantiated at the \u2018XIX\u2019 C. Prasannakumar Memorial Annual Athletic\u00a0 Meet with Ceylon Track and Field Club (CT&FC).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The greatest spectacle of the afternoon was the battle royal waged for\u00a0 supremacy in the men\u2019s 200 meters sprint when favourite A.P. Ramaswamy\u00a0 of Hindustan Aircraft and currently India\u2019s sprint king was beaten by the 20- year old Sunil Gunawardena of the CT & FC.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The 4x100m relay saw Southern Railway A.A. winners. But the thrill of the\u00a0 event was the clash for second place. Sunil Gunawardena got the baton\u00a0 about 10 feet behind Kenny Powell of C.P.M. and he pipped the ex-Indian\u00a0 champion to the tape in a thrilling finish to give CT&FC quartet the\u00a0 satisfaction of coming second.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 Express Sports Reporter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4x400M GOLD\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

CT&FC 4x400m relay team won Gold in a time of 3m 26.6s, thanks to\u00a0 superb laps by Gunawardena and Dervin Perera.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

(L-R): Mahinda Gunaratne, Dayananda Dissanayake. Sunil Gunawardena &\u00a0 Dervin Perera.<\/span><\/p>\n

NATIONAL TITLES & RECORDS SMASHED\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

After smashing the Pubs 100m & 200m records in 1968, Sunil\u2019s main\u00a0 objective was to break the Sri Lankan sprint records held by Bernard Atwell\u00a0 for the 100m (10.8s set in 1959) and W. Wimaladasa (22.0s set in 1969).\u00a0 Even though, in that same year, Sunil had run 21.6s for the 200m at both\u00a0 the Trials and in Hong Kong, they were not formally recognised as National\u00a0 Records at that time. In order for the records to be ratified they had to be\u00a0 run at recognised meets in Sri Lanka, which excluded national trials.<\/span><\/p>\n

21ST BIRTHDAY GIFT\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

There was a \u2018selection\u2019 meet on Sunil\u2019s 21<\/span>st <\/span>Birthday (06<\/span>th<\/span> Oct1970) and he set himself an ambitious goal to break the\u00a0 Ceylon National Record for the 100m on his special birthday as he\u00a0 thought it would be a lucky day for him.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUp to now my best for the 100m was 10.9s and the Ceylon\u00a0 Record at that time was 10.8s. I found out that there was to be\u00a0 Ceylon Trials on my 21\u00a0st birthday and I thought to myself if I can\u00a0\u00a0run 10.7s, I would set a New Ceylon Record on my 21\u00a0st Birthday\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 it could be a lucky day for me.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore all over the walls in my room and house I stuck 10.7s\u00a0 to constantly remind me of my new goal, so that I can train\u00a0 with single-minded determination to break the record on my\u00a0 birthday.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

To my utter delight and surprise I won the 100m in 10.5 seconds\u00a0 at the Sugathadasa Stadium.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

– Sunil\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sunil not only shattered Bernard Atwell\u2019s eleven year old 100m\u00a0 record from 10.8s to 10.5s but he also broke W. Wimaladasa\u2019s\u00a0 200m record from 22.0s to 21.7s on his 21<\/span>st<\/span> Birthday.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Sunil\u2019s 100m National Record stood for 25 years (until 1995)\u00a0 and the 200m for 20 years (until 1990) \u2013 the longest period in\u00a0 Sri Lankan Sprint History!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"BIRTHBIRTH OF AN OLYMPIC ATHLETE\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In 1971, Sunil was selected for a\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>scholarship to West Germany along\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>with 16 other Asians to train as well\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>as study Sports and Athletics Theory.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Their program includes workouts in\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Munich, where the 1972 Olympics\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>was to be held.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs a result of my good\u00a0\u00a0performances, I was fortunate to be\u00a0\u00a0selected along to do a course at the\u00a0\u00a0Sports University of Cologne \u2013 we\u00a0\u00a0trained in the morning until 10 am\u00a0\u00a0and again in the afternoon at 3 pm,\u00a0\u00a0while in between I studied several\u00a0\u00a0aspects of sports science, training,\u00a0\u00a0endurance, etc, which were all new\u00a0\u00a0to me but very beneficial.\u201d -Sunil\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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\"MrMr F.J. Hoffmann, the\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>West German\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Ambassador, bids\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>goodbye to three\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Ceylon athletes –\u00a0<\/span>Gunawardena, KG\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Badra & SLB Rosa\u00a0<\/b>who left for the Federal\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Republic of Germany\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>on 15<\/span>th <\/span>July 1971 as\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Guests of that country\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>to take part in a 9-\u00a0<\/span>week Pre-Olympic\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

program of training and competition organised by the German Athletics\u00a0 Association and the Sports University of Cologne.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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While in Germany, Sunil did extremely well in competitions and was\u00a0 informed that he had been picked for the 1972 Munich Olympics team. But\u00a0 on his return home, much to his surprise, he was made to face qualifying\u00a0 trials.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The target for the 100m event was 10.5s. In the first trial he recorded 10.8s\u00a0 and in the second 10.7s. The lack of competition was the main reason that\u00a0 he couldn\u2019t achieve the target, so he requested the officials to have\u00a0 competitors start the race a few metres ahead of him. The officials agreed\u00a0 and in the third trial Sunil clocked <\/span>10.4s <\/b>and qualified for the Munich\u00a0 Olympic Games. Prior to the 1972 Olympics, Sunil went back to Germany\u00a0 to train for three months.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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

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

Sunil Gunawardena won the 100 yards (9.6s) while K.G. Badra\u00a0 came 2<\/span>nd <\/span>in both the 100 yards (11.1s) and 220 yards (25.0s) at the\u00a0 Pre-Olympic Track & Field Championship held in West Germany\u00a0 in preparation for the 1972 Munich Olympics.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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

\"SunilSunil Gunawardena and K.G.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Badra, who participated the at the\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Pre-Olympic Meet in Munich are\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>welcomed at the Bandaranaike\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>International Airport by Richerd\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Kaiser, Consular Secretary and\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>M.H. Neukirchen, Attache of the\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>West German Embassy.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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1972 Munich Olympics\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Fastest Asian\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Olympic experience was very glamorous as he met and mingled with\u00a0 many champion sports personalities. Although he was not overawed by the\u00a0 occasion he didn\u2019t do well in the 100m clocking only 11.0 seconds and was\u00a0 knocked out in the first round.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, in the 200m Sunil advanced to the quarter finals where\u00a0 he registered a superb time of <\/span>21.31s <\/b>which was the fastest\u00a0 timing by an Asian at that time.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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

1972 Munich Olympics:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Sunil Gunawardena (extreme left) at the start of the 100m Heats.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The 1972 Olympics was overshadowed by the Munich massacre in which\u00a0 eleven Israeli athletes and coaches and a West German police officer at the\u00a0 Olympic Village were killed by Palestinian Black September members. The\u00a0 motivation for the attack was the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict\u2026.sadly\u00a0 the conflict continues with catastrophic consequences with no negotiated\u00a0 settlement in sight.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fond Memories as Sunil Gunawardena\u2019s CT&FC Teammate (1973\/1974)\u00a0 (by Ravi Rudra)<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

Nov 1973: <\/b>Training at Torrington Square with top USA Sprinter Earl\u00a0 Harris, who was part of a team of \u2018Five US Stars\u2019 in the country for a week long training program.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

(L-R): David Nicolli, Ravi Rudra, Royce Koelmeyer, Bandula Jayasinghe, Raj\u00a0 Fernando, Earl Harris, Sunil Gunawardena (white cap), H.W. Nimalsiri\u00a0 (white headband), KG Badra (behind Sunil) and N.A.T. Jayasinghe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Few days later, representing a Sri Lanka Presidents Team against the \u2018US\u00a0 Team\u2019, Bandula Jayasinghe and I, Ravi Rudra (both coached by Sunil\u00a0 Gunawardena), finished 2<\/span>nd <\/span>& 3<\/span>rd <\/span>respectively in the 100m. Earl Harris, who\u00a0 had a career-best of 10.0 sec, won comfortably in 10.5s at St Peter\u2019s College\u00a0 on a slow grass track.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Bandula Jayasinghe made great strides in the 100m, 200m, 400m and set a\u00a0 national record for the 400m hurdles (53.7s) in 1974 that stood for 14 years.\u00a0 He also won the 100m at the 1975 Nationals (11.1s).<\/span><\/p>\n

TEAM USA – TOP ATHLETES ALL\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

The Crack Track and Field Coaching Team from USA, who were in Sri\u00a0 Lanka to conduct training program. (L_R): \u2018Larry Kennedy, Earl Harris, \u2018The\u00a0 Coach\u2019 Richard Godlove, Barry McClure, Jim Burnett and \u2018John Warkentin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTwo weeks after the 1972 Pubs I had to miss taking part in the AAA Junior\u00a0 Nationals. Since winning the U15 sprint double at the 1968 Junior Nationals in\u00a0 record timings, hamstring injuries had prevented me from competing at these\u00a0 championships from 1969 to 72, thus thwarting a crack at the U17 & U19 titles.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

It so happened that in the latter part of Oct 1972 when I was merely going as a\u00a0 spectator to watch the Junior Nationals, Sunil Gunawardena, who had just\u00a0 returned from the Munich Olympics, spotted me walking towards the St Peter\u2019s\u00a0 College Pavilion, and enquired as to why I was not participating.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

When I told him about my recurring hamstring injuries, he assured me that Sri\u00a0 Lanka would send a 4x100m relay team to the 1974 Teheran Asian Games and if\u00a0 I trained with him as part of the CT & FC team that he could help me over come\u00a0 my injuries and that I would definitely make the Sri Lankan sprint relay team. I\u00a0 thanked him and said that I will think about it\u2026.subsequently I left College and\u00a0 joined CT&FC around May 1973 to train under Sunil.<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Having trained for about a year with Sunil and the CT&FC team we did quite well\u00a0 at several meets in both the 4×100 and 4×400, with some keen battles especially\u00a0 against a strong Army team led by the outstanding W. Wimaladasa and A.\u00a0 Premachandra \u2013 both subsequent Asian Games Gold Medallists.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\"sunil\"Earlier in Aug 1973, running the anchor lap for CT&FC, we equalled the Sri Lanka\u00a0 National Record in the 4x100m Relay\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>with a time of <\/span><\/i>42.5s <\/i><\/b>at the 14th Annual\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Relay Carnival. The other sprint team\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>members were Sunil Gunawardena,\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Bandula Jayasinghe and I.D. Premasiri.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>My other two relay team members for\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>the 4×400 relay were Kosala Sahabandu\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>and the late Dervin Perera.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Bitterly disappointed at pulling my\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>hamstring (once again) at the final Asian\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Games trials for the 4×400 relay squad,\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>held on 2<\/span><\/i>nd <\/span><\/i>April 1974, I decided to call it\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>quits and began focussing on my studies\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>in accountancy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

September 1974: <\/i><\/b>I was truly delighted\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>that our Sri Lankan 4×400 quartet of W.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Wimaladasa, Sunil Gunawardena,\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Kosala Sahabandu and A. Premachandra\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>not only won Gold but set a New Asian\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Games Record in doing so. My teammate\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>and good friend Bandula Jayasinghe\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

made the 4×400 team as the reserve. Couldn\u2019t be more prouder of the men with\u00a0 whom I had trained or competed with.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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

12<\/span>th <\/span>Sept 1974 – Teheran Asian Games 400 (men) \u2013 (L-R): Reza Entezari (Iran,\u00a0 Silver), W. Wimaladasa (Sri Lanka, Gold) & Yoshiharu Tomonaga (Japan, Bronze)\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The great Asian gold medalist W. Wimaladasa told me that I should have\u00a0 switched to the 400 much earlier like he did following his hamstring injury at the\u00a0 1966 Asian Games, but no one suggested that to me while I was at College and all that was history now!\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

In early November 1974, Sunil Gunawardena persuaded me to come out of\u00a0 \u2018retirement\u2019 for one last time to compete with CT&FC later that month in\u00a0 Bangalore at the Open Athletics Meet. I was reluctant as I had not done any\u00a0 training at all for seven months. However, after sitting for my CIMA part II exam in\u00a0 mid-November I attended training for a couple of weeks just to compete in the\u00a0 4X100 relay for one last glory, and I am glad I did that, as we won the Gold.\u201d \u00a0 \u2013 Ravi Rudra<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Sunil Gunawardena\u2019s Proudest Achievement\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

Sunil rates winning GOLD in the 4×400 metres relay at the 1974 Teheran\u00a0 Asian Games the proudest, even better than participating in the 1972\u00a0 Olympics. He was entered for the 200m individual event as well and given\u00a0 his splendid time of 21.3s at the 1972 Olympics he would have been hotly\u00a0 favoured to win a medal (possibly Gold) at the Asian Games.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, both the individual 200m and the 4x400m relay events clashed\u00a0 with each other and his team manager asked him to pick one or the other. Sunil sacrificed personal glory for the sake of team success. His selfless decision proved to be an excellent one as the 4x440m relay team not only\u00a0 won Gold (first ever Gold medal by a Sri Lankan relay team) but they also\u00a0 set a New Asian Games record of <\/span>3m 07.4s <\/b>that stood for 12 years.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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

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

Teheran Heroes Back With Golds\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

BACK HOME WITH GOLD<\/b>: The Minister of Sport, Mr. K.B. Ratnayake,\u00a0 chats with Sri Lanka\u2019s 4x400m Relay Gold Medallists at the 1974 Teheran\u00a0 Asian Games.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

(L-R): A. Premachandra, Sunil Gunawardena, Kosala Sahabandu, double\u00a0 Gold Medallist Wickremasinghe Wimaladasa (with his 2-yeard old son and\u00a0 wife).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On arrival, they were garlanded over and over again, the most striking\u00a0 being the garland of Vanda Orchids laced with threads of gold offered by\u00a0 the Sports Minister, as an Army\u2019s Hewesi Band played at the edge of the\u00a0 tarmac.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

November 1974 – CT&FC Team to Bangalore\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

Warming up at the Kanteerava Stadium, soon after their arrival in\u00a0 Bangalore are four of Sri Lanka\u2019s top athletes (l-r): Kosala\u00a0 Sahabandu, Bandula Jayasinghe, K.G. Badra and Sunil\u00a0 Gunawardena.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Indian Express \u2013 29 Nov 1974<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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

Nov 1974 Bangalore <\/b>(L-R): Ravi Rudra, Bandula Jayasinghe, I.D. Premasiri\u00a0 and Sunil Gunawardena who won Gold in the 4×100 at the All-India Open\u00a0 Invitation Athletics Meet, held at Bangalore.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis was to be my very last appearance on the track before I took off to\u00a0 the UK in January 1975 to pursue further studies and a career in\u00a0 Accountancy.\u201d <\/span>\u2013 Ravi Rudra<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Love Story\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As the sprint king and queen of Sri Lanka, Sunil and KG Badra were\u00a0 destined to be soul-mates. Their love story began in 1970 when they were\u00a0 the fastest man and woman on the track.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They happened to be at a Meet in Thailand when Sunil boldly called\u00a0 Badra\u2019s room and said, <\/span>\u201cBadra, we are the fastest runners in Sri Lanka.\u00a0 Imagine if we marry, how fast our kid would run?\u201d. <\/strong>That was his epic\u00a0 proposal!\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Both Badra and Sunil were selected for the 1972 Munich Olympics, but\u00a0 unfortunately Badra developed appendicitis and couldn\u2019t make the trip.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\"sunilSunil & Badra got married in 1978, the same year that\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Sunil decided to hang up his running spikes. Ten years\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>at the top \u2013 winning National Meets, Asian Games and\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>participating in Olympics, he was more than happy to\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>bid farewell as an Athlete at the age of 29. Apart from\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>the marriage, both Sunil and Badra were bored at\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>dominating the local scene due to the lack of any real\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>competition.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Although they were not blessed with a child of their\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>own, the thousands of kids that they both trained and\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>mentored have more than wiped away any tears and\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>have brought tremendous joy with their victories and\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>successes in life.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

Successful Athletics Coach and A Gutsy Fighter\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

Since 1978 Sunil Gunawardena has been involved in administration and\u00a0 training athletes free of charge most of the time. He has several\u00a0 international coaching diplomas and has travelled to experience as to how\u00a0 world class athletes such as Cathy Freeman, Jacky Joyner, Carl Lewis and\u00a0 Usain Bolt trained. This gave him a lot of direct insight about tactics and\u00a0 strategies that he should use as a coach.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Drugs in Sports\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

In several conversations, Sunil has mentioned to me his deep concern over\u00a0 drugs in sports and in several cases athletes who are encouraged by\u00a0 coaches wanting quick results. While he has faith in the young talent in the\u00a0 country, he is very worried about the spread of banned substances and\u00a0 drugs which can ruin even the most successful careers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to produce athletes who have natural ability and are prepared\u00a0 to train hard developing both physical and mental strength. I do not\u00a0 recommend the use of supplements.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sunil also stresses the need for resources to promote and improve the\u00a0 standards of sports, particularly in the rural areas, such as gyms for weight\u00a0 training. He strongly feels that the authorities need to identify and invest\u00a0 more in the sports that would bring credit to the country.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a real fighter who fought prostate cancer and won with the help of\u00a0 robotic surgery, he is now constantly fighting to prevent the usage of drugs\u00a0 in sports.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Sunil Gunawardena \u2013\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span>President, Sri Lanka\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Athletics 2000-2001\u00a0<\/span>From 1971 to 1978 Sunil\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>worked at the CTB (Ceylon\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Transport Board) before\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>retiring to take over\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>administrative duties. He\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>held several titles including\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>National Athletics Pool\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Coach (1991), Vice\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>President of Sri Lanka\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Athletics Association\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>(1996), President of Sri\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Lanka Athletics Association\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>(2000), Vice President, National Olympic Committee (NOC), Vice\u00a0 President, South Asian Athletics Board, National Athletics Manager, Chef de-Mission (2000 Sydney, Olympic Games).Director General of Sports and\u00a0 Physical Education of Sri Lanka Higher Education (2011), Coordinating\u00a0 Secretary to the Minister of Rural Development Affairs (2015)\u2026..and much\u00a0 more.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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\"sunil\"– Mastermind behind\u00a0 <\/span>country\u2019s athletics\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>transformation in the\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>late 90\u2032s.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

– Only Sri Lankan to <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>participate at Olympics <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>as an Athlete, Coach, <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Manager & Chef-de\u00a0<\/span>Mission.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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No other Sri Lankan athletics coach has produced as many\u00a0 medal winning athletes as Sunil Gunawardena. He has produced\u00a0 7 Olympic \u2018A\u2019 grade Athletes, 10 World Championship \u2018A\u2019 grade\u00a0 athletes, and his athletes have broken 36 national athletics\u00a0 records!\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

MAJOR MEDAL WINNERS \u2013 COACHED BY SUNIL GUNAWARDENA<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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

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

2008 Commonwealth Youth Games \u2013 Pune, India\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Highest Position Ever Achieved by a 4x100m Relay Team in the\u00a0 History of Sri Lanka Athletics.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"2008<\/span><\/p>\n

(Left \u2013 Right): Ranil Jayawardena, R. Chamara Silva, Sunil Gunawardena\u00a0 (Coach), Keith de Mel, Shehan Ambepitiya.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4x100m Relay Final Results \u2013 Commonwealth Youth Games\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Sri Lanka 40.85s\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Australia 41.08s\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Canada 41.31s\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. South Africa 41.32s\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Gambia 41.39s\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. India 41.54s\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  7. Fiji 41.79S\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  8. New Zealand 41.86s\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    (source: 100 years of Sri Lanka Athletics)<\/span><\/p>\n

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

    Sunil kindly sharing paper cuttings from Badra\u2019s old scrap book.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    *Unfortunately, Sunil Gunawardena lost all his medals (including his Asian\u00a0 Games Gold Medal), trophies and other souvenirs when his Chilaw\u00a0 residence was burgled while he was overseas. In addition to that he had\u00a0 lost all his paper clippings, which a journalist borrowed and never returned.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    My gratitude to Vimukthi Adithya, Ceylon Today, 31 Dec 2018 & to Sunil\u00a0 Gunawardena for our Conversation at his Residence on 26 Dec 2023 \u2013 Ravi Rudra\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    *Recent photos below<\/span><\/p>\n

    MEMORABLE REUNION \u2013 24th DEC 2023\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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

    Former CT & FC Teammates \u2013 Bandula Jayasinghe, Ravi Rudra,\u00a0 K.G. Badra Gunawardena and Sunil Gunawardena with Saman\u00a0 Kumara Gunawardena, Hony. Recorder, Sri Lanka Athletics.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

    (L-R): Banula Jayasinghe, Ravi Rudra & Sunil Gunawardena. <\/span><\/p>\n

    For the record, Bandula Jayasinghe\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Represented Ceylon Schools v Indian Schools (Madras, Feb 1969)\u00a0 winning gold in the 4x100m relay and silver in both the 200m &\u00a0 400m.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    National Champion \u2013 100m (11.1s in 1975), 400m Hurdles (1974 in 54.5s & 1975 in 55.2s).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    National Record Holder \u2013 400m Hurdles (53.7s in July 1974),\u00a0 4x100m Relay (with CT&FC Team 42.5s in Aug 1973), 4x400m\u00a0 Relay (with CT&FC Team 3m 17.9s in Dec 1973).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    1974 Teheran Asian Games \u2013 Reserve for 4x400m National Relay\u00a0 Team that won Gold.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Sunil & Badra Gunawardena\u2019s Beautiful Home\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Designed by Sunil himself\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \u00a0 \"sunil<\/span><\/p>\n

    The Front Door Panel has the 1974 Teheran Asian Games Medal Emblem <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>engraved \u2013 in Memory of the Gold Medal that was stolen!\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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

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

    26 Dec 2023 \u2013 Presented a copy of <\/span>\u201cSri Lanka Proud \u2013 A Tribute To\u00a0 Champions\u201d <\/span><\/i>by former teammates Badra & Sunil (RR).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Island-wide Fitness Training Programme With Sri Lanka Cricket \u00a0for U19 Boys & Girls District Cricketers \u2013 Sep 2024\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Matching of Athletic Skills with Cricketing Skills\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    (Fitness Trainers – Sunil Gunawardene, K.G. Badra, Bandula Jayasinghe & <\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Randima Madhushan).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u00a0 \"sunil\"<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"sunil<\/p>\n

    Dear Sunil, thank you for your friendship and inspiration.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Wishing you the Very Best of Health & Happiness on your 75th Birthday. God Bless! – Ravi & Kalyani Rudra<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Click here to receive your free copy of the eLanka Newsletter twice a week delivered directly\u00a0to\u00a0your\u00a0inbox!<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    SUNIL BENEDICT GUNAWARDENA \u2013 THE SRI LANKAN BULLET!\u00a0 (by Ravi Rudra to mark Sunil Gunawardena\u2019s 75th Birthday on 6th Oct 2024) *His association with Sri Lanka Athletics \u2013 as an Athlete, Coach, Manager & Administrator \u2013 extends to 57 years. At 75 Sunil Gunawardena currently leads a team of Fitness Coaches training U19 Boys & […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":143014,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"aside","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,71391],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-142968","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-aside","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-articles","8":"category-ravi-rudra","9":"post_format-post-format-aside"},"yoast_head":"\nSUNIL BENEDICT GUNAWARDENA \u2013 THE SRI LANKAN BULLET! 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