Lalitha Ratnayake outstanding weightlifter, athlete and ruggerite-by Upananda Jayasundera

Source:Dailynews

A.R.M.Lalitha Ratnayake, an old boy of Dharmaraja College,Kandy is one of the Best Weightlifters as well as an outstanding Referee and Judge. He is also an outstanding Rugby player, Soccer player,Cricketer and Athlete.

Lalitha Ratnayake was the person who was instrumental in introducing Weight lifting to his alma mater, Dharmaraja College,Kandy in the eighties. He learnt the basics of Weight Lifting from S.A.Wijewickrema when he joined the YMCA Weightlifting Centre while schooling. After winning his weight Class as a novice and then at the Intermediate and finally at the Nationals (his weight Class is 65 Kg.),he became a Grade III Weightlifting Referee and Judge. Ultimately he served as the Chairman of the Selection Committee of the Sri Lanka Weightlifting Federation. He represented Sri Lanka as the Manager of the Weightlifting Team which toured Nepal at the Asian Inter Club Weightlifting Contest in 1984 and the next year he accompanied the Weightlifting team along with his Coach, S.A. Wijewickrema at the SAF Games as the Deputy Chief delegate.

Lalitha Ratnayake was a College Prefect, House Captain and a Member of the College Rugby, soccer and Athletic teams. In Athletics he won the Shott putt and Discus throw events and won 100 & 200 metres at School level and at Group Meets. He started Rugby in the Under 15,17 & 19 levels as a Wing Three Quarter and played as No.8 as well. He did not continue Rugby as he wanted to concentrate on Weightlifting in School as well as National Level.

As a leading Businessman in Kandy, he is serving his Alma mater, as well as the Central Province in Weightlifting