Swimming Galas: A Celebration of Teamwork and Sportsmanship

The first half of October was marked by three incredible swimming Gala’s across the school.

· Year 3 and 4 Swimming Gala held on October 1st, followed by the Year 5 and 6 Gala, held on October 11th and the Secondary School Gala, held on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th.

All Gala’s showcased not only the swimming talents of our students but also their teamwork, resilience, and the unshakable spirit of sportsmanship.

Year 3 and 4 Gala Highlights

The younger students set the stage with an atmosphere full of excitement and energy. Families, teachers, and classmates cheered from the stands as the Year 3 and 4 students gave their best in each race. From the thrilling sprints to the longer endurance races, every child demonstrated outstanding effort and commitment.

A big congratulations to our champion swimmers:

Year 3 Girls: Anaya Karunanayake (Griffin)

Year 3 Boys: Tahen Benaragama (Hobbit)

Year 4 Girls: Aavya Martinus (Griffin)

Year 4 Boys: Arthreya Sivahar (Unicorn)

In the house competition, Hobbit House claimed the top spot, followed by Griffin, Unicorn, and Centaur.

Year 5 and 6 Gala Highlights

The Year 5 and 6 students brought a high level of competition and skill to their gala, showing that they are maturing into confident swimmers and leaders in the pool. The event was just as intense and joyful, with swimmers displaying remarkable determination and technique in every race.

We proudly recognise our Year 5 and 6 champions:

Year 5 Girls: Dinuki Kumarasinghe (Hobbit)

Year 5 Boys: Niketh Nakandala (Hobbit)

Year 6 Girls: Githsaara Panapitiya(Hobbit)

Year 6 Boys: Arayan Fernando (Centaur)

Once again, Hobbit House dominated the standings, securing 1st place. Griffin took 2nd, followed by Unicorn in 3rd, and Centaur in 4th place.

Secondary School Gala

We appreciate everyone who was involved for these events across the two days, it was exhausting but the students as always, demonstrated their dedication to their house and their understanding of the importance of these house events; bringing the community together and participating and competing in a fair manner. As is normally the case, there were some excellent talents on show and some exciting races, particularly the relays.

We proudly recognise our Secondary School Champions: Year 7/8 Girls: Elisha Samuel (Shakespeare)

Year 7/8 Boys: Timeth Rajapakse (Shakespeare)

Year 9/10 Girls: Sasha Rajapakse (Shakespeare)

Year 9/10 Boys: Ethan Wanasinghe (Shakespeare)

Year 11/12/13 Girls: Kiyana De Zoysa (Shakespeare)

Year 11/12/13 Boys: Ayush Wijetunga (Newton) For the secondary School, Newton were crowned 2024/25 Inter House Swimming Champions, 2nd place belonged to Shakespeare, 3rd place was Nobel and Scott finished in 4th.

Summary

All galas were a fantastic demonstration of the importance of teamwork and support, as well as individual achievement. It was inspiring to see students encouraging each other, celebrating victories together, and displaying remarkable resilience when things didn’t go as planned.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the staff, parents, and coaches for making these events possible, and to our students for giving their all in the pool. Congratulations to all our participants, and we look forward to seeing you continue to develop as athletes and team players!