Weightlifting is to be given the best of support in Kandy in the future. At one time this sport was prominent in Kandy and produced several weightlifters who brought honor to their clubs, themselves and the country. Kandy was the hub for the Iron sport.
All this was made possible due to the immense support and helping hand extended by Kandy YMCA, backed by the National Olympic Committee and Sports Ministry. Weightlifting is one of the oldest sports known to mankind was firmly rooted in Kandy with many of its exponents going on to represent Sri Lanka and win medals. This is one of the prominent sports that could bring international fame to the country if it is well organized and supported.
Once again weightlifting is catching up fast in schools. Even girls are interested in taking to this sport and be recognized.
The Services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and Prisons) have taken up the iron sport in a big way. From the first bronze medal at the Pakistan International Games in 1982 up to the present weightlifters have brought in many silver medals.
Our weightlifters have taken part in 1982 Asian Games and in 1984 Olympic Games in addition to several international championships. In 1986 one of our lifters at the Commonwealth Championships in Malta won a bronze medal.
It is good news to all iron sportsmen in hill capital as Kandy YMCA is all out to give their best support to every school and lend a helping hand for sportsmen to do training.
Weightlifting was introduced to Sri Lanka as a sport in 1939 by an Englishman, who was a serviceman, named G.J. P. Hill at a trial contest at the Fort YMCA. This was followed by Kandy YMCA, but soon went bankrupt in 1954.
Nine years later, in 1963, an organized association was formed by the name of Ceylon Amateur Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Association. This association, like in 1939, conducted a trial meet for amateurs in 1963 which was continued until 1974.
The same year, the bodybuilding section of the association broke away and formed the Sri Lanka Amateur Bodybuilding Association, which has since 1977 been called the Sri Lanka Weightlifting Federation.
In the good old days, promoters such as S. A. Wijewickrema Snr and Jnr, A Dharmadasa, Maurice Windus, NIyaz Majeed, Mahesh Sabarathnam with a few others did their best to promote the sport. When the sport was declining and on the verge of heading towards a natural death, the above mentioned people came forward and brought the sport to its original status with great commitment and dedication.
There is another person one cannot forget is T.S.J. Packeer Ally the doyen of the iron sport. When the iron sport was revived after 40 odd years, the first team to tour overseas comprised G.V.A. Croos (Bantam), S.A. Wijewickrema Jnr. (Feather), Mahesh Sabaratnam (Light), Niyaz Majeed (Middle) and W.S.K. Perera (Light). The team was managed by J. Ranasinghe. T.S.J. Pakeer Ally was the coach who is a FIFA qualified football coach and Linne Schoorman accompanied as referee.
Then later lifters like Athula Wijewickrema, SM Faizal, Asela Wijewickema, HC Perera, DUM Jayatilleke, Gamini Kumarasinghe, PURSB Weragama, RAS Ransinghe and MC Alwis did a good job to foster the sport.
Test of strength had always been a challenge to young men throughout history and all civilizations have their legends associated with their feats of power. It is possible to suppose, that the lifting of weights, with wrestling and running were among man’s earliest means of measuring superiority.
The Sri Lanka Weightlifting Federation is a member of all its senior federations like the Asian, Commonwealth and the International Bodybuilding Federation. Since the Federation was formed, it expanded its activities to the four corners of the country with the help of the NOC and Ministry of Sports.
When Baron Pierre de Coubertin revived the ancient Olympics in 1906, Weightlifting was one of the six games in the Olympics. The essential difference between weightlifting and weight training is that the former is a standardized sport practiced widely, requiring skill as well as great strength.
Weight training is a basic form of exercise that is needed by anyone, athlete or non athlete like rugby players who want to develop strength and superior physical fitness.
Weightlifting exercises are reported to be a common component in the strength and conditioning programmes of many high school and professional athletes.
This is primarily due to their biomechanical similarities to many sporting movements and their manifestation of large force and power qualities in comparison to other exercises.
Though there are common disagreements between exercise professionals with regards to weightlifting’s transferability to sport performance, the current substantial body of evidence suggests they are an effective tool for enhancing athleticism.
However, to further our current understanding of the usefulness of weightlifting for athletic performance, more research is needed.
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