Dipika Chanmugam – first female swimmer to represent Sri Lanka at Olympics

Source:Dailynews

Dipika Chanmugam, who has the distinction of being the first female swimmer to have represented Sri Lanka at the Olympic Games, was born in Colombo on March 9, 1972.

Having completed her secondary education at Bishop’s College, Colombo she joined the Iolani International School in Hawaii, US for further studies and training in swimming.

Deepika participated in the Age Group Asian Swimming Championships held in Bangkok, Thailand in 1985 and Japan in 1989 and also at the Asian Swimming Championships held in Beijing, China in 1990.

In 1990, she was placed third in the 200 yards breaststroke event and fifth in the 100 yards breaststroke event in the Junior American Swimming Meet.

At the Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, she participated in the 100m and 200m breaststroke events and in the 200m individual medley event.

Dipika is the holder of the most number of Sri Lanka records in swimming. She holds the record in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m freestyle, 100m and 200m backstroke, 200m breaststroke, 200m and 400m individual medley.

Dipika hails from an outstanding sporting family of her mother Oosha Chanmugam (nee de Saram), also a former Sri Lankan swimmer and tennis champion, youngest daughter of the legendary cricket captain, Col. F. C. de Saram and sister of swimming champion, coach and Gold Medallist Tara Bolling (nee de Saram).

At the fifth SAF Games in Colombo held in 1991, Dipika set up new records in five events: 200m freestyle, 100m, and 200m backstroke, 100m and 200m breaststroke.

Altogether she won seven Gold Medals at this meet. She was coached by Tara Bolling, a reputed Swimming Coach in Sri Lanka and by Brian Lee in Hawaii, US.

Later, she pursued her studies at the Nevada University in Las Vegas, US. Dipika is the daughter of former All-Ceylon cricketer Neil Chanmugam and granddaughter of Col. Fredrick Cecil de Saram. (C.D)