Sri Lanka’s Olympic Day Run in Matara today

(FASTNEWS|COLOMBO) – The Olympic Day Run organized by the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) will be held today in Matara.

June 23 is the international Olympic Day and celebrated worldwide but the NOCSL decided to hold their activities on Tuesday since school children will be engaged for the numerous events lined up, according to Maxwell de Silva, Secretary General of the NOCSL.

The four-kilometre Olympic Day Run will be held from Polhena beach at 3.30 p.m. and conclude at Uyanwatte Cricket Ground, Matara. The chief guest at the event would be the Minister of Ports, Shipping & Southern Development Sagala Ratnayake, while Olympic silver medallist

Susanthika Jayasinghe would attend the event as one of the guests of honour.

Jayasinghe’s 2000 Sydney Olympic Games medal will be on public display for the first time for the benefit of the school children in Matara district.

This year too, the NOCSL is expecting the participation of over 1000 school children from schools adjacent to Matara, besides the customary art competition on the theme ‘Olympic Values’ with the participation of fifty young artists from the area.

Making this year’s endeavour unique the NOCSL has diverted its focus on environment protection. The NOCSL in its strive in becoming a global partner in environment protection and sustainability, launched its Coral Replanting project in Polhena, Matara and this would take place in the morning hours of the programme.

The events will be kicked-off with the beach cleaning in the Polhena beach vicinity with the participation of several state institution personnel, besides the school children and their parents. Among the string of beach-related activities are Beach Kabaddi, Beach Volleyball, Surfing and several other events in the morning.