Arkam Rifas: A rising star of Sri Lankan Hockey

Arkam Rifas (L) 

Born on November 18, 2007, into a prominent sporting family, Arkam Rifas was destined for athletic excellence. Inspired by his father, Sri Lanka National Hockey Coach Mohamed Rifas, and his mother, Fathima Raseeiya, Arkam pursued the sport from a young age.

He began his education at Zahira College, Matale, proving to be an exceptional all-rounder by representing the school in hockey, football, athletics, and the Matale District Under-15 cricket team. He later joined Trinity College, Kandy, where he established himself as one of the nation’s finest young players. As Captain and Colorsman, Arkam led Trinity to numerous championships, scoring over 130 goals across school, district, national, and international levels.

Throughout his career, Arkam has represented Zahira College, Trinity College (Captain), the Matale and Kandy Schools teams, and the Matale District Junior squad. His leadership earned him the captaincy of the Sri Lanka Schools Hockey Team, the vice-captaincy of the Sri Lanka Junior Under-18 team, and a spot on the Sri Lanka Junior Under-20 team.

His domestic accolades include winning the All-Island Best Player award at both the Under-16 and Under-18 levels, alongside multiple Best Player honors in the historic Trinity vs. Royal and Trinity vs. S. Thomas’ big matches.

On the international stage, Arkam’s lethal striking ability has turned heads. At the 2025 Junior Under-18 Asia Cup in China, he won the Best Player award against Hong Kong. More recently, at the 2026 Junior AHF Cup in Kazakhstan, he secured Best Player honors in matches against Tajikistan and Indonesia.

Widely recognized as one of the best young strikers in the junior circuit, Arkam’s clinical finishing, leadership, and determination mark him as a future star of the senior Sri Lanka National Hockey Team. Congratulations to Arkam on his remarkable journey so far as he continues to make the nation proud globally.

(BM)