Sri Lanka wins historic Gold at Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships

Gold medallists Hiruna De Silva and Meedum Mendis

By Susil Premalal
Sri Lanka claimed its first-ever gold medal in the history of the Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships when Hiruna De Silva and Meedum Mendis, both of Ananda College, Colombo, clinched the top spot in the 12.5m Line Throw event at the 2025 edition of the championships.
The competition was held from July 10–13 in Swansea, United Kingdom, under the auspices of the International Life Saving Federation (ILS) and the Commonwealth Games Federation. This prestigious event, which also served as the final qualifying round for this year’s World Games in China, showcased elite aquatic skill and rescue readiness.
Sri Lanka fielded a 10-member school-level squad for the championships, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s lifesaving sport achievements.
The Sri Lankan men’s team was captained by Nimuth Perera and comprised Hiruna De Silva, Chris Pavithra, Tashan De Silva, and Meedum Mendis. The women’s team was led by Sinali Rajapaksa, with teammates Vinuki Perera, Sandali Sumathipala, Kalashi Ranabahu, and Isindi Vithulya.
The gold-medal performance by Hiruna and Meedum not only brought glory to Sri Lanka but also highlighted the growing strength of the country’s young athletes in aquatic sports at the international level.