Akalanka Peiris

Akalanka Peiris
Personal information
Nationality  Sri Lanka
Born (2000-01-11) 11 January 2000
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Height 175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight 76 kg (168 lb)
Sport
Sport Swimming

Akalanka Peiris (born 11 January 2000) is a Sri Lankan male swimmer and a national record holder in swimming.[1] He represented Sri Lanka at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and competed in swimming competitions.[2] In August 2018, he became the first ever Sri Lankan student to sit for a Sri Lankan GCE A/L examinations outside Sri Lanka as he was granted special permission to write A/L exams in Jakarta, Indonesia just prior to his preparations for the 2018 Asian Games.[3][4] He also qualified to represent Sri Lanka at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in October 2018 which is scheduled to be held in Argentina.[5]

Career

Akalanka Peiris has set national swimming records in 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke and 4×100m freestyle relay events. In 2017, he set the new Sri Lankan national record in men's 100m backstroke event.[6]

He later claimed two more national records in both 50m backstroke[7] and 4×100m freestyle relay events during the 2018 Commonwealth Games.[8]

2018 Asian Games

Akalanka Peiris also qualified to represent Sri Lanka at the 2018 Asian Games when he was on the verge of his A/L examinations. However he was approved by the Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka to take three of his A/L papers to Jakarta and was allowed to sit for the exams in the Sri Lanka embassy in Jakarta.[9] This instance also made him the only Sri Lankan to sit for the A/L examinations in a foreign country.[10] Due to his examinations, he missed out to take part in the opening ceremony of the 2018 Asian Games.[11]

2018 Summer Youth Olympics

Peiris was the only Sri Lankan swimmer to qualify to represent Sri Lanka at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Swimming | Athlete Profile: Akalanka PEIRIS - Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games". results.gc2018.com. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  2. ↑ "Sunday Times - CWG: Swimmer Akalanka Peiris standby for Men's 100m Backstroke semi-final". www.sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  3. ↑ "Akalanka will sit the GCE ALs in Indonesia and also swim at the Asian Games". The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  4. ↑ "Swimmer Akalanka gets green light to sit for GCE A/L exam in Jakarta". Daily News. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  5. ↑ Ranasinghe, Dinushki (2 October 2018). "Akalanka eyes Youth Olympic Gold". www.thepapare.com. Dialog Axiata. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  6. ↑ "Event 409 Boys, 100m Backstroke 15 - 17 years" (PDF). HKASA. 11 September 2017. p. 24. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  7. ↑ "Men's 50m Backstroke Semifinals Results" (PDF). Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation. 7 April 2018. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  8. ↑ "Men's 4×100m Freestyle Relay Heats Results" (PDF). Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  9. ↑ "Peiris misses opening ceremony due to A-Level exams". The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  10. ↑ "Akalanka takes A/L's amidst Asian Games". ThePapare.com. 2018-08-18. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  11. ↑ "Sri Lanka's swimming ace takes pool and school in giant splash". Sunday Observer. 2018-08-18. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  12. ↑ Ranasinghe, Dinushki (2 October 2018). "Akalanka eyes Youth Olympic Gold". www.thepapare.com. Dialog Axiata. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
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