Sports
Sumanthiran Navaratnam: Lightning Streak on Track and Rugby Field
By K.L.F. Wijedasa
The Fastest man in Asia Sumanthiran Navaratnam passed away peacefully on October 19 at the age of 98. He not only blazed the track, but also stunned the spectators with his dazzling runs on the Rugby field.
Summa’s father, former Ceylon Civil servant S. S. Navaratnam and K. T. Navaratnam, daughter of Dr. C. S. Ratnam wanted their son to be groomed in the traditions of the British Public Schools. So Royal College was chosen for him to learn the books.
His athletic career started at Royal College in 1937 when he participated in the Inter House Athletic Meet.
Summa Nawaratnam clocked 10.4 seconds to win the 100 metres in Madras. It was considered the fastest performance in Asia. The medal won by Nawaratnam.
Inter School Athletics started in 1940. He was only 15 years of age. He was a member of the Royal College 4 x 100yds Relay team, which won both the Tarbat (overall Champions) and the Jefferson Relay Challenge cups that year. There were no athletic meets for two years due to the World War II.
Schools Athletic Meets were revived in 1943. Under his captaincy Royal Athletic Team, won both the Tarbat and the Jefferson Trophies. Summa won both Individual events, the 220 yds and the 440 yds. He could not participate in his pet event the 100yds as the 4×440 yds relay race was to follow immediately after. He won Royal College athletic colours as the youngest to win College Colours.
In 1944, representing The Royal College Old Boys at the Nationals Summa won the sprint doubles. He was the National Champion in the 100m, 200m in 1944,1946 and 1947. He won the Wilton Bartleet, for the Individual events.
In 1953 he ran the 100metres with Lavy Pinto of India. Both were timed 11.0 secs, however. Pinto was determined the winner.
As an up-and-coming young athlete, he was included in the 4x100m Relay team to compete at the Indo- Ceylon Athletic Meet in 1945. This team included outstanding athletes of the calibre of Duncan White, R. E. Kitto, and Basil Henricus.
In 1953 Summa participated in the Madras Provincial Olympic Games. He returned a time of 10.4secs in the 100meters which was the fastest timing recorded on a grass track in Asia. There after he was named the ‘Fastest man in Asia.” In this event he beat the Indian National Champion Ivan Jacobs. Yours truly was an undergraduate at the University of Peradeniya, at that time. When we read this news in the Daily Press we jumped for joy. As usual, there were some critics in the Athletic circles who mentioned that you could not depend on Indian Timekeepers. This was an amazing feat for a Ceylon athlete.
Very few know that Summa participated in the 1950 British Empire Games held in Auckland, New Zealand. He ran in the 100 yds and 220 Yds and was a member of the 4x440yds Relay along with Duncan White, Oscar Wijesinghe, and Vivian Blaze. They were placed fourth in the event.
I suppose people are not aware that he was one of the four honorary starters after J. A. Samarawickrema and Dalton Rabot.
He was an athletic coach of repute. Darrel Lievers, Luxman de Alwis of Moratu Vidyalaya, Jilska Flamer Caldera, and Nirmala Dissanayake were four of his trainees. The latter became the first woman to win a bronze medal in the 200 metres at an Asian Games.
When I was coaching Royal College athletes Summa was the rugby coach of Royal. He encouraged his rugby payers to participate in athletics. He said that athletics was the base for any sport. Thus, most of my athletes ended up as the wingers of his Bradby team.
As a coach he had a good rapport with his chargers. I am proud to be a co-holder of the 100meters National record with a great man like Summa.
by Rex Clementine
India are closing in on a big win at SSC after Sri Lanka slumped to 229 for six at stumps on day four of the second Test having been forced to follow on yesterday.
Sri Lanka lead by just 16 runs with four wickets in hand and with three sessions remaining, the tourists will be looking to wrap up victory and complete a 2-0 series sweep. India won the first Test in Galle by 165 runs.
Sonal Dinusha, who batted superbly for a hundred in the first innings, was unbeaten on seven when rain brought play to a premature end. With Sri Lanka now into the tail, Dinusha has his work cut out. He has been the hosts’ standout performer in the series, having also made 100 and 84 in Galle.
Sri Lanka resumed the day on 265 for eight, still needing 39 runs to avoid the follow on, but were bowled out for 290 and asked to bat again.
Although they lost both openers early, Kamindu Mendis and Pasindu Sooriyabandara gave Sri Lanka hope with a 115 run stand for the third wicket.
Sooriyabandara, who had made 80 in the first innings, once again played spin superbly, using clever footwork, while Mendis took on the fast bowlers.
But India had plenty of runs on the board and persisted with the short ball against Mendis, stationing three fielders on the boundary. Eventually, the plan paid off. Mendis took on Mohammed Siraj and perished for 55, with captain Shubman Gill running in from square leg to complete a fine catch.
That was the breakthrough India desperately wanted and the spinners quickly turned the screws. Three wickets fell for just nine runs as Sri Lanka surrendered the initiative and India regained control.
Sooriyabandara missed out on a well deserved hundred when he charged Manav Suthar. The left-arm spinner cleverly fired the ball wide, leaving the batter stranded as Rishabh Pant whipped off the bails in a flash. Sooriyabandara’s 92 came off 173 balls and contained ten fours and a six.
Having spent considerable time in the field, India’s bowlers were beginning to tire, evident from the number of loose deliveries they sent down. But Sri Lanka’s batters lacked the patience to drive home the advantage, with several throwing away their wickets just when the hosts appeared to be clawing their way back into the contest.
Sri Lanka Air Force emerged Overall Champions in both the Men’s and Women’s categories at the 14th Defence Services Badminton Championship concluded successfully on 21 August 2026 at the Sri Lanka Army Indoor Sports Complex, Panagoda.
The SLAF Men’s Team secured the Open Men’s Doubles and Men’s Team Championships, while the Women’s Team excelled by winning the Open Women’s Singles, Open Women’s Doubles and Women’s Team Championships.
In the Open Men’s Doubles, Leading Aircraftman Lochana De Silva and Aircraftman Achintha Imeshaqe secured the championship, while Aircraftwoman Praveena Wijesundara and Aircraftwoman Anurangi Masakorala claimed the Open Women’s Doubles title with Aircraftwoman Praveena Wijesundara winning the Open Women’s Singles Championship.
Major General Mohan Premaratne, President of the Sri Lanka Army Badminton Federation, was the Chief Guest at the awards ceremony while SLAF’s Director Sports Air Commodore Prabath Dissanayake, former Chairman Badminton Sri Lanka Air Force Air Commodore Poojana Gunathilake, Secretary Air Force Sports Council Group Captain Eranda Geeganage and Secretary Badminton Sri Lanka Air Force Wing Commander Thushara Wijeratne. were also present.
Malki Madara and Shashini Fernando shared nine wickets between them to help Sri Lanka Air Force Women beat Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Women by 169 runs and propel their team to the semi finals of the Major Club Womens Limited Over cricket tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket.
In the game played at their home ground in Katunayake on Monday [24], Sri Lanka Air Force posted 276 runs for the loss of eight wickets with Ashani Kaushalya topping the score card with 57 runs off 81 balls with ten hits to the ropes.Sasini Alwis and Wethumya Wijesuriya captured three wickets each.
Chasing 277 to win Shashini Fernando captured five wickets while Malki Madara captured four wickets to restrict the Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Women to 107. Skipper Sanduni Nisansala scored 38 off 61 balls with four boundaries and a six.
Sri Lankan Air Force Women will meet Panadura Sports Club Women for the semi-final at the LRDC ground on Friday (28)
Scores:
Sri Lanka Air Force Women 276/8 in 50 overs [Ashani Kawshalya 57, Malsha Shehani 32, Savindi Cooray 34*; Sasini Alwis 2-48, Wethumya Wijesuriya 2-67]
Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Women 107/10 in 43.5 overs [Sanduni Nisansala 38; Malki Madara 4-14, Shashini Fernando 5-09]
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