A girls school which has done well in sports is Good Shepherd Convent, Kandy which was established in the year 1899 housed at Peradeniya Road, Katukelle has done well in sports and this school gives due place for sports. One of the best to come out of this school in sports in the early days was Zohara Jumma where she played Netball, Badminton, and Table Tennis and did athletics at top level. She became the first-ever hockey player to lead the Sri Lanka women’s team and was a double International in hockey and basketball for the country, both of which she did not play in school, as these sports were not there during her days.
This school took up Netball in 1950’s and has persisted to the present day as a popular sport. Badminton was introduced in 1970. Basketball was introduced in 1980’s and in 1985 participated in the District Basketball tournament and became the 1st Runner-up. Table Tennis too was
introduced in 1980’s and today is a popular game and many participated and won events. In 1970’s did well in hockey.
In Swimming, they have participated in various events. In the 1990’s the De Soysa sisters, Amali and Amritha participated at national level and won awards.. Chess was introduced in the 1990’s at present they are doing well, Amadie U. Karunathilake is an outstanding chess player. She has won many places at all-island level competitions. She was ranked 30th with 2 points in the ONGC Asian Schools Chess Championship 2011. Swastika Kirupalamoorthy is also an outstanding player. In Athletics this school has had outstanding success. As far back as 1958, Nilmini Alwis became the Champion Athlete of the Central Province setting up new records in Putt Shot and Javelin Throw. She maintained this same position at the 1959 Junior Nationals as well. In 1961 Kandy Convent created a record by winning all three places at the Junior Nationals. Zohara Jumar, S. Samarakkody and I. Sheriffdeen were placed first, second and third respectively. In 1979 the Under 16 Team emerged Champions in Central province. The year 1982 saw the promising young Athlete Sunethra Karunanayake become the Under 15 Circuit Champion and at the District Level Schools Nationals in 1985 she won the Gold and Silver Medals for the 100 Metres and 200 Metres respectively.
In 1986 Sunethra Karunanayake, Shivanthi Senanayake, Nilmini Wijesinghe and Ganga Dissanayake became Circuit and District Junior Champions and represented Kandy at the Schools Nationals held in which Sunethra once more set up new records in the 100 and 200 metres in the Under 17 age group. In 1987 when Sunethra once more represented the Kandy. District at the Schools Nationals, she excelled by keeping three new records in Long jump, 100 Metres and 200 Metres. 1988 become Circuit Junior Champions, District Senior Champions, as well as Relay Champions, while the under 12 team comprising of Romayne Doole, Nayanthi Wijesuriya, Thilini Ranasinghe and Anusha Bandaranayake became all – island Champions at the Junior Nationals. With Sunethra Karunanayake crowning all her previous efforts by being chosen to represent Sri Lanka at the Junior Nationals held in Jakarta in 1986 and to represent her country at the 13th Asian Games held in 1987 in Singapore.
In the early 1990’s, the Under 19, Relay team with Ruwini Fernando, Dulakshi Edirisinghe, Nivanthi Peiris and Sara Arumugam won first place at the all-island Athletic Meet.Paboda Siriwardena was an outstanding athlete. She won 1st and 2nd places at Zonal, Provincial and all-island Athletic Meets. She won colors for winning the Under 13 Championship at the Amateur Athletic Meet. She won third place in 400m at the Junior Nationals Athletic Meet in 2004, held in Matara.
Sandrene Weltd is another outstanding athlete. She won national colours at the all- island National Schools Athletic Meets in 2001, 2003 and 2004 at 400m hurdles. She has the distinction of setting up a new record in 100m. She won school colours Stephanie Fernando has won the Junior Championship at the Zonal Athletic Meet, 2013. She holds the distinction for the best timing at the John Tarbet National Athletic Meet, The houses which do well at inter house spots meet are St. Brigids, St. Helenas, St. Lucias, St. Margurites and St. Terasitas.
by Daily News Sri Lanka
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