The Ceylon Olympic team at the Olympic camp in Richmond Park, London 13th June 1948. (From left) Edward Gray, Albert Perera, Duncan White, John de Saram, Mr. Perera (team manager), George Peiris, Leslie Handunge and Alex Obeysekera.
The first Sri Lankan to enter an Olympic ring and win a bout was Leslie Donovan Perera Handunge, from Kandy and also the second son of Kandy to blaze the Olympic trail. He was known as Perera at school. He was remembered by all sports lovers in Kandy, specially by the Boxing, Cricket and Rugby. He was one of the finest sportsmen Kandy has ever produced.
He became the best Director of Physical Education at the Peradeniya University, yet to be replaced by his class of work. When he was in charge of all the grounds at Peradeniya, they were in perfect condition, even international cricket matches were played before Sri Lanka got Test status. Leslie Handunge represented Ceylon at the 1948 Olympic Games and was the first Ceylonese to enter an Olympic ring and win an Olympic bout by beating Mexcican Tello in the men’s - flyweight, ranking 9th at the 1952 Olympic Games.
He joined Trinity College as a schoolboy from Matale, and was guided in the correct path by the coaches. He excelled at Trinity College in four major events - cricket, boxing, rugby and athletics. After leaving school, he played inter-club hockey and football for Kandy Rovers and was rated as one of the finest center forwards in hockey. In football he played as left-inside. Leslie played rugger for Kandy Sports Club and Up-Country. He was a master in every sport he played.
Later Leslie became one of the top class rugby referees and officiated the Trinity-Royal under 17 game as referee for four years. When Kandy Lake Club was playing in the ‘B’ division, he was the only referee from Kandy to handle the games played in Kandy. He was famous for his lectures when at refereeing matches, he used to halt the game and deliver brief lectures. He also refereed football games and was a cricket and hockey umpire.
When Leslie was handling the University playgrounds at Peradeniya as Director of Physical Education, it was the only facility in Kandy with four sports fields together (Tennis court, Hockey, Athletics, Cricket grounds with turf wicket). After he left the office, a matting was laid by the side of the turf and constructed football and rugby grounds, all in-a-row.
He maintained and kept the grounds in perfect condition. The Bradby Shield Rugby game was most looked forward annual event and few cricket matches with the participation of foreign teams played at this grounds. At that time the pavilion was made of GI sheets. Leslie was a diploma holder in Physical Education from Lougborough College, UK. He is the first Sri Lankan to achieve this feat and later obtained Masters Degree in Physical Education from Springfield, USA. He also has served in both these institutions.
In Boxing, he won his first National title in 1944 in the Flyweight Class and also won the best boxer’s award at the Intermediate, Albert Perera Fairwell Meet and National Championships. He represented the University of Ceylon at Boxing and Rugby and was the British and Irish Universities’ Bantam Weight Champion when he was at Loughbpropugh College.
He was invited by the ABA of Sri Lanka to participate in the final boxing trials for the 1950 - Empire Games, but was unable to leave UK. He retired as undefeated Flyweight boxing champion of Sri Lanka in 1952. In the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s, Leslie was the most experienced and highest qualified sports administrator and physical educationist. He was a firm believer that sports should serve masses rather than confine to a gifted few who are in competitive sports.
His ring philosophy is to out-wit and out-think his opponent and not merely to out punch him. In keeping with the thinking of boxing greats like Sugar Ray Robinson, Mohamed Ali, whom Leslie met once and Jack Johnson and Jim Corbett. Leslie Handunge was always wanted to see youth and adults engaged in sports.
He held office at Kandy Football, Hockey, Boxing, Cricket and Athletics Associations and helped every sport with ground facilities. It was he who helped schools to play cricket at Peradeniya and also gave a big hand to hockey at school and club level. A gentleman with principals, a strict disciplinarian and a great promoter of all sports and a willing helper to any sportsman during the times of difficulty by way of valuable advise, sports equipments and financial assistance when required.
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