“Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence.” -George F. Will

Sports play an important role in everyone’s life, especially students. Education is critical for achieving name, fame, and fortune. Similarly, to maintain a healthy mind and body, everyone should engage in some type of physical activity, with sports being the best option. Sports are necessary because they provide physical and mental fitness to those who participate regularly.  

Accordingly, “TRIUNFO” is an initiative by the Sports and Recreational Activities Avenue of the Rotaract Club of University of Sri Jayewardenepura to provide an opportunity for all sports enthusiasts to get to know each other and to work with team spirit. As the main focus of the Sports and Recreational Activities Avenue is to allow each member to participate and be involved in physical activities while conducting projects to uplift the physical fitness of the members of the club as well as the community, the Avenue created a path to rejuvenate the youth and enhance fellowship through “TRIUNFO”.

The project was held as a mini sports game series which opened a door to connect with Rotaractors from other clubs as well. On the 10th of September 2022, all were set at the university grounds, and the organising committee members registered the participants from the Rotaract Clubs of SLIIT, University of Kelaniya, NSBM, NIBM, and IIT. After the welcome speech by the Co-director of the Avenue, the registered attendees were divided into groups. Six teams of seven people each were formed. The games then began, and they continued until the afternoon. 

The series of outdoor sports included Mini court games, Rock paper scissor shooting games, Head shoulder ball pickup games, Cricket ball passing games, පැණි බඹර related to football games, Warmup games, and Dodgeball games, and all of these sports happened in different time intervals. The teams had to participate in all of them to win. 

Following lunch, the Entertainment Item began, which was a fancy fashion show. Each group was allowed to create and present a paper king and queen from their team to the audience. This continued until the evening. The closing ceremony began with a speech by the guest speaker Mr. Akalanka Pieris, a National swimmer as Youth Olympian. He shared his life story with everyone, which was very motivating. Then the awarding of prizes began. The two winning teams and the best female player and the best male player received prizes from Mr. Akalanka Pieris. 

The event concluded with a short video of the day which indeed added a bright smile to everyone’s faces. The participants were then allowed to share their thoughts on the event. Finally, the project chairperson delivered the vote of thanks, and the event concluded with everyone joining for one last snap.

It should be also mentioned that without the support of Imperial College, Official Gold Sponsor, My Cola, Official Beverage Partner, and American Water, the Official Hydration Partner, the event could not have been an immense success. We can humbly declare that our project “TRIUNFO” was a joyful experience for all. 

As we can see, sport is more than just a form of recreation or entertainment; it also plays an important role in all aspects of life. Because sports are so important, numerous national and international sporting events are held all over the country and the world. These events help to bridge cultural and political divides while also exposing a global audience to the world’s diverse traditions and cultures. It teaches the importance of discipline, punctuality, responsibility, and respect for others. Thus, sports lays the groundwork for healthy individuals, developing their abilities and personalities as a nation develops into a well-developed and resilient one.

Written by: Rtr. Imesha Udawatta

Graphic design by: Rtr. Rusira Thilakarathna