SUNIL BENEDICT GUNAWARDENA – THE SRI LANKAN BULLET! (by Ravi Rudra to mark Sunil Gunawardena’s 75th Birthday on 6th Oct 2024)
*His association with Sri Lanka Athletics – as an Athlete, Coach, Manager & Administrator – extends to 57 years.
At 75 Sunil Gunawardena currently leads a team of Fitness Coaches training U19 Boys & Girls around the country sponsored by Sri Lanka Cricket.
The Most Phenomenal Schoolboy Athlete Of All Time!
“Sunil Gunawardena’s achievements stands as perhaps the best in history of Sri Lankan School’s Athletics.”
Dear Sunil, thank you for your friendship and inspiration.
Wishing you the Very Best of Health & Happiness on your 75th Birthday.
God Bless! – Ravi
– Ravi Rudra –
The Most Phenomenal Schoolboy Athlete Of All Time!
“For a schoolboy with just a year’s athletics behind him Sunil Gunawardena’s achievement stands as the best in the 49-year-old history of Ceylon School’s Athletics.” – Pubs, 1968
HIGHLIGHTS OF SUNIL GUNAWARDENA
– 1968: Champion at Relay Carnival, Group Meets, District Meets, Junior Nationals and Public Schools in his very first year of athletics.
– Breaks three Pubs Records and wins Five events at his very first Pubs.
– First Schoolboy to break the 11-sec barrier for the 100 metres (10.9s). Same year he beat the Sri Lankan national champions at trials and won Gold in the 200m at the Thai Open, in a time of 21.6s which was better than the Ceylon record.
– Set 100m (10.5s) & 200m (21.7s) national records on his 21st birthday, on grass tracks, that stood for over 20 years,
-National 4x100m, 4x200m & 4x400m record holder with CT&FC.
– Asia’s fastest time for the 200m (21.31s) at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
– Asian Games 4x400m Gold Medallist (1974 Teheran) & record holder.
– Internationally trained Coach who has learnt from the likes of Carl Lewis, Cathy Freeman, Jacky Joyner and Usain Bolt.
– Highly successful Coach who has produced the most medal winning athletes from Sri Lanka.
– Coaching & mentoring young athletes for over 50 years with his wife and former Sprint Queen KG Badra without charging a cent for their work and ensuring none of them take to drugs or illegal substances.
– Executive Committee Member of the Sri Lanka Athletics Association from 1996 to 1997, Vice-President in 1998/1999, President in 2000/2001, Vice President, National Olympic Committee (NOC), Vice President, South Asian Athletics Board, National Athletics Manager, Chef-de-Mission (2000 Sydney, Olympic Games).
– Coordinating Secretary to Minister of Sports (1994-2000), Cricket Board Member during Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup victory.
– Director General of Sports and Physical Education of Sri Lanka Higher Education, Coordinating Secretary to the Minister of Rural Development Affairs, Chairman – Industrial Development Board, Chairman – National Design Centre, Deputy Chairman – Life Stock Development Board.
– Currently, at the age of 75, (2024) Chief Fitness Trainer for U19 Boys & Girls District Cricket Teams (island-wide) as part of a National Fitness Program with Sri Lanka Cricket.
“Boy Wonder from Chilaw – Sunil Gunawardena”
Sunil Gunawardena destroying his competitors.
Notorious Childhood
Born in Bandarawatta, Kakkapalliya, Chilaw on 06th October 1949 to Joseph Gunawardena and Harriet Exceda, Sunil was the second in a family of six children – one elder brother, two younger brothers and two sisters. He was a product of St Mary’s Chilaw and grew up as a very stubborn, notorious child who would get things he wanted by hook or by crook.
Tagged by the nickname ‘Josage Yaksha Patiya’ he was a devil by nature. He was even taken by his parents to the Colombo General Hospital to find out if he had any psychological defect that made him this way.
A STAR IS BORN
In 1968, Sunil Gunawardena burst into lime light in his very first year of Public Schools Athletics. He participated in his first Inter-House Athletics Meet, and from thereon registered victory after victory as he single handedly helped his school (St Mary’s Chilaw) win the Relay Carnival, the Jefferson Challenge Trophy and the Tarbat Trophy for Outstation Schools, while establishing two stunning individual Public Schools Records for the 100m (10.9s) and the 200m (22.3s) at the 1968 Pubs. He became an overnight sensation!
Sunil Gunawardena didn’t know that he could run, not till he was 17 anyway. He was just messing around playing cricket back then. A future Olympic Athlete was born very unexpectedly!
“I was never an athlete during my U13, U14, U15, U16 or U17 days. In 1967, when I was still 17 years old, there was a boy in my school who was the District Champion for our area. He was training to participate in the All-Island Meet and he asked me if I would help him by running a handicap race (where he would give me a few metres lead at the start) to improve his timing. So I volunteered but he couldn’t beat me in the race.
One of our School Math’s master, Mr. Joseph Fernando who witnessed this told me ‘Sunil, I don’t think he can catch you, so run against him tomorrow in a proper race’.
So the next day I ran and much to the surprise of everyone I defeated the ‘Wayamba District Champion’ and that’s the day I realised I had some talent in sprinting.”
The Most Stunning Debut
Seeing how well Sunil performed in the practice session, the Math master took a small school team to the Colombo Oval in August 1968, and Sunil took part in the Public Schools Relay Carnival for the very first time.
“In 1968, Mr. Joseph Fernando came up to me and said, ‘Sunil now you are the fastest runner in this area. So shall we take part in the Relay Carnival and Public Schools?’
“And that’s how I came (with a very small team from St. Mary’s Chilaw) for the first time to participate in an athletics event in Colombo at the 1968 Relay Carnival.
We won the senior (U19) 4×100, 4×200 & 4×400 meter relays and won the Relay Carnival. Up to then St. Joseph’s College had won the Relay Carnival for Seven years in a row, since the competition began in 1961.”
1968 Relay Carnival – Colombo Oval
ONE-MAN SHOW
Sunil Gunawardena…..Star of the
Carnival
St Mary’s Chilaw are Relay
Champs
“I don’t care if others are 5, 10 or 20 metres in
front of me. I just run as fast as I can” – Sunil
St Mary’s Chilaw star athlete Sunil Gunawardena streaks ahead to take the 4×100 metres relay for senior boys beating St Benedict’s (nearest to the camera) and Issipathana MMV at the Relay Carnival.
“Lack of opportunities to take part in other sports has brought a new ‘star’ to Local Athletics – Sunil B. Gunawardena, the boy who helped St. Mary’s Chilaw, become the first Outstation Schools’ win the 1968 Ceylon Schools Relay Carnival at the Colombo Oval. St. Mary’s Chilaw became Champions by ending the seven year dominance of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo at the Eighth Relay Carnival held at the Colombo Oval grounds.
St. Mary’s scored 47 points in the Boy’s (Seniors and Juniors) to take the Ceylon Daily News Challenge Trophy, while S. Thomas’ College, Mt Lavinia and St Peter’s College tied for second place with 37 points each.
Full credit to St Mary’s remarkable show goes to 18-year old Sunil B. Gunawardena who ran three fantastic anchor laps to collect 45 of their 47 points. It was those three blistering runs by Gunawardena in the 4×100, 4×200 & 4,400 Metres Relay for Seniors (U19) that helped them to win all Three Relays and the Ceylon Daily News Trophy for the Boys Championships.
Terrific Burst of Speed
Gunawardena received the baton way behind the rest of the field – especially in the 4x200m about 10 metres behind St. Peter’s and Mahinda College ‘anchor’ lappers, but he unleashed a terrific burst of speed in the home-stretch for a convincing win.
“Taking part in the same meet as a 14-year old, when we (STC) won both the Junior (U16) – 4x100m & 4x200m relays (in fact our entire under 16 relay team was a year junior), I watched with awe the brilliant sight of Sunil (in black singlet and black shorts) scorch the track in winning the Senior (U19) – 4×100, 4×200 & 4×400 relays for St Mary’s Chilaw. He was like a cheetah chasing prey!
The meet also happened to be the final time, that the former Thomian legendary athlete and coach, as well as the former secretary of Sri Lanka Athletics, Mr Brookie D’ Silva attended an athletics meet in Sri Lanka (just prior to his migration to Australia). Brookie was the Chief Guest while Mrs D’ Silva distributed the prizes.
A month later (end Sep 1968) the Junior AAA Nationals, held at the Colombo Oval, was memorable for both Sunil and me. While he easily galloped to win the 100m & 200m, smashing the record for the U19 200m, I broke both the U15 100m and 200m records in front of my Mum who had come to see me run for the very first time. My twin brother Hari won the U15 discus title, so it was a very special day for us.” – Ravi Rudra
1968 PUBS
Two months after the Relay Carnival came Sunil’s very first appearance at a Public Schools Championship Meet at St. Peter’s College, grounds on the 11th & 12th Oct,1968. On the first day Sunil won the U19 long jump with a fine leap of 21’ 11 ½” – just 2 ½ inches short of Royalist, N.A. Weeratunge’s 13-year-old record of 22’ 2” set in 1955.
Sunil Gunawardana – Bolt of Lightning
First schoolboy to run 100 metres in under 11 seconds
On the final day of the (1968) Public Schools Meet, Sunil brought a packed crowd to their feet when he shattered both the 100m (10.9s) and 200m (22.3s) Pubs individual records.
He also anchored his team to brilliant victories in both the 4x100m (45.7s) and 4x400m (in a new record of 3m 31.3s), thus single-handedly helping St Mary’s Chilaw win for the first time both the ‘Outstations’ Tarbat and Jefferson Challenge Cup for Senior Relays. Sunil didn’t know until he saw the newspapers next day that the headline mentioned that he was the
“First ever schoolboy to break the 11-second barrier with his time of 10.9s”.
“The Greeks had Mercury – their fleet messenger on his feet. Today in our little island, a schoolboy – SUNIL BENEDICT GUNAWARDENA of St. Mary’s Chilaw, has with mercurial fleetness captured the hearts and imagination of young and old all over Ceylon with his incredible performances at the Ceylon Schools Athletics Championships.
The 18-year-old coffee coloured athlete from a remote village in Chilaw made everyone stand up and cheer as he clocked the amazing times of 10.9 secs in the 100 metres and 22.3 secs in the 200 metres to write up two New Public School’s Records. For a schoolboy with just a year’s athletics behind him Sunil Gunawardena’s achievement stands as the best in the 49-year-old history of Ceylon School’s Athletics.
The Secret
What is it that makes this shy and simple village lad the champion that he is today? According to Sunil, ‘I run just for the love of it, but put in diligent training under my coach Joseph Fernando and believe that regular training is a must if anyone wishes to climb the ladder of fame’.
Sunil was discovered in an obscure village Church yard in Bandarawatte and from the moment he was spotted by a talent scout, who knew is ‘onions’, Sunil has made remarkable headway to be considered Ceylon’s best hope for the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok and 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
Sunil completed a treble by winning the long jump and helped his school to win the Jefferson Trophy for Relays with scorching anchor laps – the first Outstation School to win it in 30 years (Trinity College won in 1938) and helped them crack 4x400m Relay Record with 3m 31.4s. S. Thomas’ College helped by their Juniors, R. Rudra and J.L.C. Salgado, won the overall Championship.” – The Messenger, 19 Oct 1968
He’s a Freak! – The Ceylon Observer
“Sunil Benedict Gunawardena, that 18-year-old bundle of athletic dynamite came in with such scorching performances that he had them shouting, ‘he’s a freak’! He became the first-ever schoolboy to crack the eleven-second barrier in the 100 metres at the Ceylon Schools Athletic Championships concluded yesterday at the St. Peter’s grounds.
Unchallenged leaving the rest of the field trailing behind he hit the tapes in isolated splendour to clock 10.9 seconds in the Under 19 100 metres. He axed 0.3 seconds off the old record of 11.2s set by Ivor Francke in 1965, having broken it in the heats on day one with a time of 11.1s. Sunil Gunawardena was a mere 0.1 second off the Ceylon and All Comers mark held by India’s Markan Singh and Ceylon’s Bernard Atwell of 10.8s.
That All Comers and Ceylon mark could well have been his yesterday, but for that swelling on his groin. “It still hurts”, he said. For a boy who started athletics in a serious tone just a year ago, Sunil Gunawardena could be rated as one of the best to emerge for a long, long time, and prove that the outstation boy if given the proper incentive and encouragement, can be a champion.
On day one of the Championship, this dusky and beautifully proportioned athlete also went on to win the Long Jump with a winning distance of 21’ 11 ½”, to fall 2 ½ inches short of N.A. Weeratunge’s 13-year-old record of 22’ 2”.
TWO MORE
Gunawardena made it a “One-Man Show”. He set another record when he returned 22.3 seconds in the 200 metres, chopping 0.6 seconds off the record held by Royalist Darrel Liversz (22.9s for the 220 yards). He was a mere 0.1 second off Duncan White’s – the other athlete considered a freak – mark of 22.2 seconds for the 220 yards set in 1944 . White achieved this timing as a matured Ceylon athlete!
(Note: W. Wimaladasa, also clocked 22.2s in 1966. Sunil’s time of 22.3s was only 0.2s behind the National mark set by D.K. Podimahatmaya on 05.03.1968 – RR).
There was just one more public schools record and Sunil Gunawardena had a hand at that one too. He ran a superb anchor lap for St. Mary’s Chilaw in the 4×400 metres relay just after his record-breaking 100 metres run and helped in a big way to clock 3m 31.3 seconds. It knocked 0.3s off the old mark held by St. Joseph’s.
And last but not least, it should be mentioned that this is the first time that Sunil Gunawardena took part in the big Ceylon School’s Meet, formerly known as the Public Schools Championships. St Mary’s Chilaw walked away with the Jefferson Cup having won both the senior relays.
FIVE FROM FIVE
“The only reason I did the long jump, at the Pubs, was that my coach instructed me to do a third individual event to get some points for my school.” Sunil used his raw speed to the board and cleared just under 22
feet to win the long jump title. This was in addition to blistering the field in both the 4×100 and 4×400 relays, setting a new Pubs record in the latter.
FIVE EVENTS – FIVE FIRSTS! Wonder if such a phenomenal achievement had been ever done before or after, let alone in the debut year of an athlete!
TEAM OF ONLY FOUR
(L-R): Nelson Perera, Sunil Gunawardena, Dervin Perera, U.C. Gamini.
S.Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia took the Tarbat Cup for overall Champions (1968), thanks largely due to the efforts of their Juniors. But the honours surely went to St. Mary’s Chilaw who, with just Sunil Gunawardena and three others – all Seniors – took 68 points thus winning the Tarbat Cup for ‘Outstation’ Schools and also the Jefferson Cup for Relays.”
– Ceylon Observer (13.10.1968)
“12th Oct 1968 was another memorable day for both Sunil and me. While Sunil broke the 11-second barrier for a schoolboy, I became the first 14-year old to break the 12-sec barrier for the 100m (11.9s) and 25-sec barrier for the 200m (24.4s) in winning both events for U16 against those a year senior to me. I would regard this to be my best performances on the track.”
– Ravi Rudra
“To be honest I did not know as to how good my Pubs timings such as 10.9s for the 100m and 22.3s for the 200m were until I read the headlines in the papers the next day.” – Sunil
“My early success was due to the parental backing I received. Though my father was no athlete, he gave me the encouragement and this spurred me along.” – Sunil
Shortly after the 1968 Pubs schoolboy Sunil created yet another sensation when he equalled the 200m National Record of 22.2s held by both Duncan White and W. Wimaladasa at the All-Island Government Schools 12th Annual Athletics Meet, held at the Sugathadasa Stadium. He was adjudged as Most Outstanding Athlete of the meet and awarded the Maithripala Senanayake Trophy while KG Badra was awarded the Hurulle Trophy – for the most outstanding athlete for girls.
“Following my success at the 1968 Pubs and in India, Mr. Julian Grero, President of Sri Lanka Athletics, asked me to run in a trial to pick the Ceylon Team. At the trials I beat stars likes D.K. Podimahatmaya and W. Wimaladasa with a time of 21.6s for the 200m and was picked to represent Ceylon at the Thai Open Track and Field Athletic Championships, in Bangkok, where I won Gold, again clocking 21.6s.” – Sunil
1968 – NINETEEN-YEAR OLD Sunil Gunawardena, that rising young track star from Chilaw, equalled former crack Indian athlete Milkha Singh’s All Comers mark and bettered D.K. Podimahatmaya’s Ceylon record of 22.1s (set in 1968) when he returned a fantastic time of 21.6s for the 200 metres at the Ceylon AAA trials at the Colombo University grounds.
Podimahatmaya who finished second in this race, about three yards behind Gunawardena, also improved on his own mark with a time of 22.0 seconds.
Earlier in the day these two athletes meeting in the 100 metres made it a classic race with a neck-to-neck battle from start to finish. Gunawardena won by inches with both timed at 10.9 seconds.
Dec 1968 – Gold at Thai Open Track & Field Championship
“Above picture: Four of Ceylon’s squad of six athletes who bagged seven golds, three silver and one bronze at the Thai Open Track and Field Athletic Championships held in Bangkok. Mr. Julian Grero, President of the Ceylon AAA is seen garlanding S.L.B. Rosa on their arrival at Katunayake Airport. Gold medallists, Sunil Gunawardena is at the extreme left & W. Wimaladasa 3rd from left.
Rosa broke the 10,000 metres South East Asian Peninsula (SEAP) Games record with a time of 32m 37.6s. The most outstanding feature of the games was schoolgirl sensation, KG Badra of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya, winning two golds in the 100m (12.4s) & 200m (26.2s) for women in record times for the meet. In the process she also bettered Nirmala Dissanayake’s 100m Ceylon record by 0.3s and equalled Nirmala’s Ceylon record for the 200m.
In Sunil Gunawardena, who won Gold in the 200m (21.6s) and Badra we have two potential Asian Games medal winners. It’s 1969 now and it’s not too late to start training them for the next year’s Asian Games. With methodical training and foreign competition they are certain to go places.” – Press Report
GOLDS IN INDIA – MAY 1969
Soon after bursting into limelight Sunil Gunawardena made a golden debut for CT & FC at the C. Prasannakumar Memorial Athletic Meet (an Indian Open Invitation event, competing against top clubs from all over India) in Bangalore winning two gold medals and a silver.
He beat India’s sprint champion, A.P. Ramaswamy to win the 200m and then ran a superb 3rd leg to take the lead back and help his club win the 4x400m relay from Southern Railways Athletics Association.
Epic Duel in Bangalore
(Indian Express)
‘CT&FC ‘s Sunil Gunawardena (2nd from left) beating the highly fancied Indian sprint champion, A.P. Ramaswamy (to his right) by 0.2s in the 200m at the C. Prasannakumar Memorial Athletics Meet in Bangalore. Balakrishnan (extreme right) was 3rd and J. Pamphlis (middle) 4th. Gunawardena, the Ceylon National Champion and just out of school, came off the bend at top gear and won with a brilliant burst of speed.
Keen competition is the life blood of any athletic meet…. This was amply substantiated at the ‘XIX’ C. Prasannakumar Memorial Annual Athletic Meet with Ceylon Track and Field Club (CT&FC).
The greatest spectacle of the afternoon was the battle royal waged for supremacy in the men’s 200 meters sprint when favourite A.P. Ramaswamy of Hindustan Aircraft and currently India’s sprint king was beaten by the 20- year old Sunil Gunawardena of the CT & FC.
The 4x100m relay saw Southern Railway A.A. winners. But the thrill of the event was the clash for second place. Sunil Gunawardena got the baton about 10 feet behind Kenny Powell of C.P.M. and he pipped the ex-Indian champion to the tape in a thrilling finish to give CT&FC quartet the satisfaction of coming second.’
– Express Sports Reporter.
4x400M GOLD
CT&FC 4x400m relay team won Gold in a time of 3m 26.6s, thanks to superb laps by Gunawardena and Dervin Perera.
(L-R): Mahinda Gunaratne, Dayananda Dissanayake. Sunil Gunawardena & Dervin Perera.
NATIONAL TITLES & RECORDS SMASHED
After smashing the Pubs 100m & 200m records in 1968, Sunil’s main objective was to break the Sri Lankan sprint records held by Bernard Atwell for the 100m (10.8s set in 1959) and W. Wimaladasa (22.0s set in 1969). Even though, in that same year, Sunil had run 21.6s for the 200m at both the Trials and in Hong Kong, they were not formally recognised as National Records at that time. In order for the records to be ratified they had to be run at recognised meets in Sri Lanka, which excluded national trials.
21ST BIRTHDAY GIFT
There was a ‘selection’ meet on Sunil’s 21st Birthday (06th Oct1970) and he set himself an ambitious goal to break the Ceylon National Record for the 100m on his special birthday as he thought it would be a lucky day for him.
“Up to now my best for the 100m was 10.9s and the Ceylon Record at that time was 10.8s. I found out that there was to be Ceylon Trials on my 21 st birthday and I thought to myself if I can run 10.7s, I would set a New Ceylon Record on my 21 st Birthday
– it could be a lucky day for me.
Therefore all over the walls in my room and house I stuck 10.7s to constantly remind me of my new goal, so that I can train with single-minded determination to break the record on my birthday.
To my utter delight and surprise I won the 100m in 10.5 seconds at the Sugathadasa Stadium.”
– Sunil
Sunil not only shattered Bernard Atwell’s eleven year old 100m record from 10.8s to 10.5s but he also broke W. Wimaladasa’s 200m record from 22.0s to 21.7s on his 21st Birthday.
Sunil’s 100m National Record stood for 25 years (until 1995) and the 200m for 20 years (until 1990) – the longest period in Sri Lankan Sprint History!
BIRTH OF AN OLYMPIC ATHLETE
In 1971, Sunil was selected for a scholarship to West Germany along with 16 other Asians to train as well as study Sports and Athletics Theory. Their program includes workouts in Munich, where the 1972 Olympics was to be held.
“As a result of my good performances, I was fortunate to be selected along to do a course at the Sports University of Cologne – we trained in the morning until 10 am and again in the afternoon at 3 pm, while in between I studied several aspects of sports science, training, endurance, etc, which were all new to me but very beneficial.” -Sunil
Mr F.J. Hoffmann, the West German Ambassador, bids goodbye to three Ceylon athletes – Gunawardena, KG Badra & SLB Rosa who left for the Federal Republic of Germany on 15th July 1971 as Guests of that country to take part in a 9- week Pre-Olympic
program of training and competition organised by the German Athletics Association and the Sports University of Cologne.
While in Germany, Sunil did extremely well in competitions and was informed that he had been picked for the 1972 Munich Olympics team. But on his return home, much to his surprise, he was made to face qualifying trials.
The target for the 100m event was 10.5s. In the first trial he recorded 10.8s and in the second 10.7s. The lack of competition was the main reason that he couldn’t achieve the target, so he requested the officials to have competitors start the race a few metres ahead of him. The officials agreed and in the third trial Sunil clocked 10.4s and qualified for the Munich Olympic Games. Prior to the 1972 Olympics, Sunil went back to Germany to train for three months.
Sunil Gunawardena won the 100 yards (9.6s) while K.G. Badra came 2nd in both the 100 yards (11.1s) and 220 yards (25.0s) at the Pre-Olympic Track & Field Championship held in West Germany in preparation for the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Sunil Gunawardena and K.G. Badra, who participated the at the Pre-Olympic Meet in Munich are welcomed at the Bandaranaike International Airport by Richerd Kaiser, Consular Secretary and M.H. Neukirchen, Attache of the West German Embassy.
1972 Munich Olympics
Fastest Asian
The Olympic experience was very glamorous as he met and mingled with many champion sports personalities. Although he was not overawed by the occasion he didn’t do well in the 100m clocking only 11.0 seconds and was knocked out in the first round.
However, in the 200m Sunil advanced to the quarter finals where he registered a superb time of 21.31s which was the fastest timing by an Asian at that time.
1972 Munich Olympics:
Sunil Gunawardena (extreme left) at the start of the 100m Heats.
The 1972 Olympics was overshadowed by the Munich massacre in which eleven Israeli athletes and coaches and a West German police officer at the Olympic Village were killed by Palestinian Black September members. The motivation for the attack was the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict….sadly the conflict continues with catastrophic consequences with no negotiated settlement in sight.
Fond Memories as Sunil Gunawardena’s CT&FC Teammate (1973/1974) (by Ravi Rudra)
Nov 1973: Training at Torrington Square with top USA Sprinter Earl Harris, who was part of a team of ‘Five US Stars’ in the country for a week long training program.
(L-R): David Nicolli, Ravi Rudra, Royce Koelmeyer, Bandula Jayasinghe, Raj Fernando, Earl Harris, Sunil Gunawardena (white cap), H.W. Nimalsiri (white headband), KG Badra (behind Sunil) and N.A.T. Jayasinghe.
Few days later, representing a Sri Lanka Presidents Team against the ‘US Team’, Bandula Jayasinghe and I, Ravi Rudra (both coached by Sunil Gunawardena), finished 2nd & 3rd respectively in the 100m. Earl Harris, who had a career-best of 10.0 sec, won comfortably in 10.5s at St Peter’s College on a slow grass track.
Bandula Jayasinghe made great strides in the 100m, 200m, 400m and set a national record for the 400m hurdles (53.7s) in 1974 that stood for 14 years. He also won the 100m at the 1975 Nationals (11.1s).
TEAM USA – TOP ATHLETES ALL
The Crack Track and Field Coaching Team from USA, who were in Sri Lanka to conduct training program. (L_R): ‘Larry Kennedy, Earl Harris, ‘The Coach’ Richard Godlove, Barry McClure, Jim Burnett and ‘John Warkentin.
“Two weeks after the 1972 Pubs I had to miss taking part in the AAA Junior Nationals. Since winning the U15 sprint double at the 1968 Junior Nationals in record timings, hamstring injuries had prevented me from competing at these championships from 1969 to 72, thus thwarting a crack at the U17 & U19 titles.
It so happened that in the latter part of Oct 1972 when I was merely going as a spectator to watch the Junior Nationals, Sunil Gunawardena, who had just returned from the Munich Olympics, spotted me walking towards the St Peter’s College Pavilion, and enquired as to why I was not participating.
When I told him about my recurring hamstring injuries, he assured me that Sri Lanka would send a 4x100m relay team to the 1974 Teheran Asian Games and if I trained with him as part of the CT & FC team that he could help me over come my injuries and that I would definitely make the Sri Lankan sprint relay team. I thanked him and said that I will think about it….subsequently I left College and joined CT&FC around May 1973 to train under Sunil.
Having trained for about a year with Sunil and the CT&FC team we did quite well at several meets in both the 4×100 and 4×400, with some keen battles especially against a strong Army team led by the outstanding W. Wimaladasa and A. Premachandra – both subsequent Asian Games Gold Medallists.
Earlier in Aug 1973, running the anchor lap for CT&FC, we equalled the Sri Lanka National Record in the 4x100m Relay with a time of 42.5s at the 14th Annual Relay Carnival. The other sprint team members were Sunil Gunawardena, Bandula Jayasinghe and I.D. Premasiri. My other two relay team members for the 4×400 relay were Kosala Sahabandu and the late Dervin Perera.
Bitterly disappointed at pulling my hamstring (once again) at the final Asian Games trials for the 4×400 relay squad, held on 2nd April 1974, I decided to call it quits and began focussing on my studies in accountancy.
September 1974: I was truly delighted that our Sri Lankan 4×400 quartet of W. Wimaladasa, Sunil Gunawardena, Kosala Sahabandu and A. Premachandra not only won Gold but set a New Asian Games Record in doing so. My teammate and good friend Bandula Jayasinghe
made the 4×400 team as the reserve. Couldn’t be more prouder of the men with whom I had trained or competed with.
12th Sept 1974 – Teheran Asian Games 400 (men) – (L-R): Reza Entezari (Iran, Silver), W. Wimaladasa (Sri Lanka, Gold) & Yoshiharu Tomonaga (Japan, Bronze)
The great Asian gold medalist W. Wimaladasa told me that I should have switched to the 400 much earlier like he did following his hamstring injury at the 1966 Asian Games, but no one suggested that to me while I was at College and all that was history now!
In early November 1974, Sunil Gunawardena persuaded me to come out of ‘retirement’ for one last time to compete with CT&FC later that month in Bangalore at the Open Athletics Meet. I was reluctant as I had not done any training at all for seven months. However, after sitting for my CIMA part II exam in mid-November I attended training for a couple of weeks just to compete in the 4X100 relay for one last glory, and I am glad I did that, as we won the Gold.” – Ravi Rudra
Sunil Gunawardena’s Proudest Achievement
Sunil rates winning GOLD in the 4×400 metres relay at the 1974 Teheran Asian Games the proudest, even better than participating in the 1972 Olympics. He was entered for the 200m individual event as well and given his splendid time of 21.3s at the 1972 Olympics he would have been hotly favoured to win a medal (possibly Gold) at the Asian Games.
However, both the individual 200m and the 4x400m relay events clashed with each other and his team manager asked him to pick one or the other. Sunil sacrificed personal glory for the sake of team success. His selfless decision proved to be an excellent one as the 4x440m relay team not only won Gold (first ever Gold medal by a Sri Lankan relay team) but they also set a New Asian Games record of 3m 07.4s that stood for 12 years.
Teheran Heroes Back With Golds
BACK HOME WITH GOLD: The Minister of Sport, Mr. K.B. Ratnayake, chats with Sri Lanka’s 4x400m Relay Gold Medallists at the 1974 Teheran Asian Games.
(L-R): A. Premachandra, Sunil Gunawardena, Kosala Sahabandu, double Gold Medallist Wickremasinghe Wimaladasa (with his 2-yeard old son and wife).
On arrival, they were garlanded over and over again, the most striking being the garland of Vanda Orchids laced with threads of gold offered by the Sports Minister, as an Army’s Hewesi Band played at the edge of the tarmac.
November 1974 – CT&FC Team to Bangalore
Warming up at the Kanteerava Stadium, soon after their arrival in Bangalore are four of Sri Lanka’s top athletes (l-r): Kosala Sahabandu, Bandula Jayasinghe, K.G. Badra and Sunil Gunawardena.
The Indian Express – 29 Nov 1974
Nov 1974 Bangalore (L-R): Ravi Rudra, Bandula Jayasinghe, I.D. Premasiri and Sunil Gunawardena who won Gold in the 4×100 at the All-India Open Invitation Athletics Meet, held at Bangalore.
“This was to be my very last appearance on the track before I took off to the UK in January 1975 to pursue further studies and a career in Accountancy.” – Ravi Rudra
Love Story
As the sprint king and queen of Sri Lanka, Sunil and KG Badra were destined to be soul-mates. Their love story began in 1970 when they were the fastest man and woman on the track.
They happened to be at a Meet in Thailand when Sunil boldly called Badra’s room and said, “Badra, we are the fastest runners in Sri Lanka. Imagine if we marry, how fast our kid would run?”. That was his epic proposal!
Both Badra and Sunil were selected for the 1972 Munich Olympics, but unfortunately Badra developed appendicitis and couldn’t make the trip.
Sunil & Badra got married in 1978, the same year that Sunil decided to hang up his running spikes. Ten years at the top – winning National Meets, Asian Games and participating in Olympics, he was more than happy to bid farewell as an Athlete at the age of 29. Apart from the marriage, both Sunil and Badra were bored at dominating the local scene due to the lack of any real competition.
Although they were not blessed with a child of their own, the thousands of kids that they both trained and mentored have more than wiped away any tears and have brought tremendous joy with their victories and successes in life.
Successful Athletics Coach and A Gutsy Fighter
Since 1978 Sunil Gunawardena has been involved in administration and training athletes free of charge most of the time. He has several international coaching diplomas and has travelled to experience as to how world class athletes such as Cathy Freeman, Jacky Joyner, Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt trained. This gave him a lot of direct insight about tactics and strategies that he should use as a coach.
Drugs in Sports
In several conversations, Sunil has mentioned to me his deep concern over drugs in sports and in several cases athletes who are encouraged by coaches wanting quick results. While he has faith in the young talent in the country, he is very worried about the spread of banned substances and drugs which can ruin even the most successful careers.
“We need to produce athletes who have natural ability and are prepared to train hard developing both physical and mental strength. I do not recommend the use of supplements.”
Sunil also stresses the need for resources to promote and improve the standards of sports, particularly in the rural areas, such as gyms for weight training. He strongly feels that the authorities need to identify and invest more in the sports that would bring credit to the country.
As a real fighter who fought prostate cancer and won with the help of robotic surgery, he is now constantly fighting to prevent the usage of drugs in sports.
Sunil Gunawardena – President, Sri Lanka
Athletics 2000-2001 From 1971 to 1978 Sunil worked at the CTB (Ceylon Transport Board) before retiring to take over administrative duties. He held several titles including National Athletics Pool Coach (1991), Vice President of Sri Lanka Athletics Association (1996), President of Sri Lanka Athletics Association (2000), Vice President, National Olympic Committee (NOC), Vice President, South Asian Athletics Board, National Athletics Manager, Chef de-Mission (2000 Sydney, Olympic Games).Director General of Sports and Physical Education of Sri Lanka Higher Education (2011), Coordinating Secretary to the Minister of Rural Development Affairs (2015)…..and much more.
– Mastermind behind country’s athletics transformation in the late 90′s.
– Only Sri Lankan to participate at Olympics as an Athlete, Coach, Manager & Chef-de Mission.
No other Sri Lankan athletics coach has produced as many medal winning athletes as Sunil Gunawardena. He has produced 7 Olympic ‘A’ grade Athletes, 10 World Championship ‘A’ grade athletes, and his athletes have broken 36 national athletics records!
MAJOR MEDAL WINNERS – COACHED BY SUNIL GUNAWARDENA
2008 Commonwealth Youth Games – Pune, India
The Highest Position Ever Achieved by a 4x100m Relay Team in the History of Sri Lanka Athletics.
(Left – Right): Ranil Jayawardena, R. Chamara Silva, Sunil Gunawardena (Coach), Keith de Mel, Shehan Ambepitiya.
4x100m Relay Final Results – Commonwealth Youth Games
- Sri Lanka 40.85s
- Australia 41.08s
- Canada 41.31s
- South Africa 41.32s
- Gambia 41.39s
- India 41.54s
- Fiji 41.79S
- New Zealand 41.86s
(source: 100 years of Sri Lanka Athletics)
Sunil kindly sharing paper cuttings from Badra’s old scrap book.
*Unfortunately, Sunil Gunawardena lost all his medals (including his Asian Games Gold Medal), trophies and other souvenirs when his Chilaw residence was burgled while he was overseas. In addition to that he had lost all his paper clippings, which a journalist borrowed and never returned.
My gratitude to Vimukthi Adithya, Ceylon Today, 31 Dec 2018 & to Sunil Gunawardena for our Conversation at his Residence on 26 Dec 2023 – Ravi Rudra
*Recent photos below
MEMORABLE REUNION – 24th DEC 2023
Former CT & FC Teammates – Bandula Jayasinghe, Ravi Rudra, K.G. Badra Gunawardena and Sunil Gunawardena with Saman Kumara Gunawardena, Hony. Recorder, Sri Lanka Athletics.
(L-R): Banula Jayasinghe, Ravi Rudra & Sunil Gunawardena.
For the record, Bandula Jayasinghe
Represented Ceylon Schools v Indian Schools (Madras, Feb 1969) winning gold in the 4x100m relay and silver in both the 200m & 400m.
National Champion – 100m (11.1s in 1975), 400m Hurdles (1974 in 54.5s & 1975 in 55.2s).
National Record Holder – 400m Hurdles (53.7s in July 1974), 4x100m Relay (with CT&FC Team 42.5s in Aug 1973), 4x400m Relay (with CT&FC Team 3m 17.9s in Dec 1973).
1974 Teheran Asian Games – Reserve for 4x400m National Relay Team that won Gold.
Sunil & Badra Gunawardena’s Beautiful Home
Designed by Sunil himself
The Front Door Panel has the 1974 Teheran Asian Games Medal Emblem engraved – in Memory of the Gold Medal that was stolen!
26 Dec 2023 – Presented a copy of “Sri Lanka Proud – A Tribute To Champions” by former teammates Badra & Sunil (RR).
Island-wide Fitness Training Programme With Sri Lanka Cricket for U19 Boys & Girls District Cricketers – Sep 2024
Matching of Athletic Skills with Cricketing Skills
(Fitness Trainers – Sunil Gunawardene, K.G. Badra, Bandula Jayasinghe &
Randima Madhushan).
Dear Sunil, thank you for your friendship and inspiration.
Wishing you the Very Best of Health & Happiness on your 75th Birthday. God Bless! – Ravi & Kalyani Rudra
