Over 5,000 competitors will take part in the 29th Mahaweli Games which will be conducted at the National Sports Complex, Polonnaruwa under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena on September 9 and 10, 2017.
The Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and Deputy Minister of Mahaweli Development Mahinda Amaraweera addressing a press briefing at the Mahaweli Centre said that Mahaweli Games has produced several top class athletes of the calibre of Sriyani Kulawansa and it has helped to unearth rural talent in the Mahaweli Zones who hail from farmer families.
The Mahaweli Games has been conducted on a grand scale in the past and it is only second to the National Sports Festival.
The Mahaweli Games was inaugurated in 1986 on a concept of then Mahaweli Minister Gamini Dissanayake and it has produced top sports stars of the calibre of U D Sriyalatha, Renuka Abeygunawardena, Wasantha Kumara, Wimal Rohana, D G Inoka and Upamalika Rathnakumari.
It was started with the intention of giving children of farmers in the Mahaweli Zones an opportunity to compete with athletes from major towns and help them to come up to international standard.
The Mahaweli Games will comprise of competitors from Mahaweli B, H, L, C, Victoria, Walawa, Rambakenoya, Huruluwewa, Madirigiriya and Moragahakanda and the champion team will receive the President’s Trophy of the 28 games held so far. Walawa Zone has emerged champion on nine occasions and joint champions once while C and H zones have bagged the titles on seven occasions each.
The opening ceremony will be graced by Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister and Deputy Minister of Mahaweli Development Mahinda Amaraweera while the chief guest on the final day will be President Maithripala Sirisena who will distribute the awards to the winners.
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