Duncan White, and the Returned Trinity Lion – By GEORGE BRAINE For the 125th anniversary of Trinity College, Kandy, The Old Boys Association published a 135-page commemorative volume titled Memories of Trinity, containing short pieces written mainly by old boys. Consisting mostly of humorous anecdotes about teachers and students, the volume was edited by five old boys, including Lakshman Kadiragamar, who also happened to be the President of the OBA at that time. Kadiragamar also wrote the Foreword. The cover depicted a water color painting by Stanley Kirinde of the Hantana peak seen through the college chapel. Kadiragamar also wrote a piece titled “The school we knew” for the volume, in which he recalled the visit of Duncan White, the Olympic silver medalist, an old boy of Trinity, to the school. This was in 1948. A holiday was declared, and a general assembly was held. White walked down the school ...

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Remembering the country’s first Olympic medallist Duncan White Source:Island Duncan White preparing the starting blocks. BARRIER BREAKERS During this Olympic year it is pertinent to remember one of country’s greatest athletes Major Duncan White on his 23rd death anniversary (July 3). On his way to success, he had to glide over 10 barriers and not break them! Duncan White was born on the 1st of March 1918 at Lathpandura a rural village 2km from Baduraliya in the Kalutara District His early education was at Trinity College Kandy. He was the captain of athletics in 1936 when Trinity College won the John Tarbat Challenge cup and the Jefferson cup for the Relays. White won the 220yds establishing a new record, 120yds Hurdles and the Long Jump. He was a member of the Trinity Rugger team which won the Bradby trophy. He was awarded the Trinity Lion for Athletics ...

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S. L. B. Rosa was the ‘King’ of long-distance runners in Asia S. L. B. Rosa Source:Dailynews Sellappuliyage Lucian Benedict Rosa better known as S. L. B. Rosa was the captain of the Sri Lanka Team for the Munich Olympic Games in 1972. He attended St. Mary’s School in Nawalapitiya up to Grade Two and later, he joined the Roman Catholic School in Ampitiya, Kandy. At school be showed interest in football. As part of his practice routine be used to run a mile every day. This improved his qualities of endurance and the Principal of his school, C. T. Weerasinghe, observing this quality diverted his attention to long distance running. ...

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Wimaladasa – the village athlete turned Asian champion Wickremasinghe Wimaladasa Source:Dailynews Wickremasinghe Wimaladasa who represented Sri Lanka in the 400m event at the Munich Olympic Games in 1972 was born in Nugawela in Alawwa on August 29, 1943. He received his early education at the Narammala Central College. While at school he displayed his prowess in the 100m and 200m events and won the Kurunegala District Championship in these events. He joined the Army after leaving school in 1963 and there he was able to improve on his natural talents. It was the Army that transformed Wimaladasa, the village athlete into an Asian champion. ...

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Kandy’s Olympic heroes in athletics and boxing – By Hafiz Marikar The Ceylon Olympic team at the Olympic camp in Richmond Park, London 13th June 1948. (From left) Edward Gray, Albert Perera, Duncan White, John de Saram, Mr. Perera (team manager), George Peiris, Leslie Handunge and Alex Obeysekera Image source: Sunday Observer  Kandy has produced several Olympic heroes especially in athletics and boxing Here are some of them who have brought honour and fame to their home town with their achievements DUNCAN WHITE – In the 1948, Wembley Olympics 400 metres hurdles, the most colourful of all track events,there was an obscure youth from a little known island. The stands swelled with cheering spectators, cameras whirred and the air hummed with the voice of famous commentators of the finalist line up. The loud-speakers blared their names: Two Americans confident of winning, a dour Swede, a swarthy Italian. Then the announcer said ...

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Where have all the Burghers gone? – By Pelham Juriansz The word “Burgher” is a very strange word indeed. In fact some might wonder at my name wondering if I am some sort of “Sudda(white man), having a strange foreign name. The name Jansz is a more familiar name but not Juriansz. Then people are familiar with the names of Brohier, Muller, Ludowyke, etc, because of R.L. Brohier, Carl Muller and Professor E.F.C. Ludowyke, all of whom are distinguished writers. As the Dictionary mentions, the word “burgher” means citizen-derived from the word “Burgh” of “Borough”. But, few people are aware that it has a racial connotation- that it refers to descendants of European settlers in Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon. In the European Middle Ages, a burgher was any freeman of a burgh or borough; or any inhabitant of a borough, a person who lives in town. (Even in modern German the word ...

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White who started the spark – By Rear Admiral Dr. Shemal Fernando PhD   Source: Sunday Observer An iconic moment: A determined Duncan White fixing his starting blocks at the London 1948 Olympic Games 400m Hurdles final Duncan White: First Sri Lankan Olympic Medalist and First Athlete to witness Raising of the National Flag to the Crescendo of the National Anthem Having been a close observer and student of the world’s most beautiful sport of athletics for fifty years, my effort is to make a justification to the enormous impact, prestige and influence made by Sri Lanka’s inimitable athlete, Duncan White who put our country on the world map. I thought the ideal time for such an exertion is the run up to an Olympic Games. Athletics is complex and wonderfully varied, but it also embodies passion, hard work and self-improvement. Athletics is education and entertainment, respect for the rules ...

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