Ernest Fernando – only wrestler to represent Sri Lanka at Olympics

Wrestler Ernest Fernando who participated in the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 was educated at St. Mary’s College, Dehiwala and later at St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya.

A renowned wrestler and a teacher at St. Mary’s College, F. H. Boniface Silva guided Ernest in wrestling and in a short space of time he became an able wrestler.

Ernest Fernando was successful in gaining a name for himself in National wrestling no sooner than he left school. In the Indo-Ceylon wrestling contests held in 1963, he lost by a few points.

Within a year, he was able to win the Caldecot Trophy, Amateur Championship, Intermediate Championship, National Championship, YMCA Championship and several other trophies.

He easily won selection for the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. He received training under the best Sri Lankan coaches of that day, K. Duraisingham and Boniface Silva.

But at the Olympics he had to face the Mongolian wrestler in the very first contest. It was not that easy to face wrestlers from Mongolia where the game had its origin at first.

Though he lost the game he fought the Mongolian wrestler in all three rounds, whereas the other contestants gave up in the first round itself.

Ernest lost on points to the Mongolian wrestler and was placed fifth at the Olympics. After returning from the Olympic Games, Ernest participated in the Indo-Ceylon contests and retired from wrestling in 1965.

Thereafter, he served as a Wrestling Coach. Later, he was the Wrestling Instructor at the Vidyalankara University.

During this period the University Team remained unbeaten in the Inter-University wrestling events.

This great wrestler, while serving in the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation trained wrestlers whenever time permitted. His name will go into history as the only wrestler who has represented Sri Lanka at the Olympics.

(C.D)