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One of the ‘Grand old Ladies’–Oops ‘ I mean, ‘Grand Young Ladies of Kandy’, as Olive Goonetileke would have liked to be referred to, passed away at the age of 93 recently. There were a flood of memories of her vibrancy that swept through the memorial event held in Colombo with over 350 attendees to celebrate and give thanks to her sporty life.

Olive, the wife of the well known Kandy stalwart and gentleman Harry Goonetileke, who predeceased her, was not a sports star in the traditional sense that sports columnists, such as this column, write home about. Yet, everything she did ranging from her conduct and disposition, to her gait and her cheer-leading had the genre of sports-womanship written all over her.

When her granddaughter Chemali Herath recalled the life and times of her ‘Kandy Grannie’ it brought to life with a sentimental and often humorous flavour the effervescence that Olive displayed or threatened us with as we moved with her in Kandy.

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Sahayam had dash and dazzle and Paul had art and craft. They would at times borrow these attributes from each other. Yet Sahayam was flashy and outgoing while Paul was reserved and introspective. Their divine call and gift was common: rugby. Their goal was to win. But their credo was to do so with an absolute gentlemanly flavour and fervor.

And so it seemed even four and a half decades later as they met in Canada, earlier this week in Toronto, to celebrate and honour the visit of Mohan Sahayam who was visiting North America with his wife Penny.

It was in 1964 that that Keith Paul captained Royal and Sahayam captained Trinity. The Bradby was billed as Paul vs Sahayam as both captains were renowned for their leadership. But the flash of Sahayam raised expectations that he would pull it off –especially as he was the gifted magician who we expected to do the unexpected—aptly termed ‘Sahayam Specials’.

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With the passing away at the age of 89 in Australia of Hilary Abeyratne, who exemplified what the Trinity Lion is all about, many pleasant pages in my library of thoughts unfold as he was my Master and Mentor. He left behind a rich legacy as one of the finest educationalists that Trinity has seen. He stirred in many a young mind the fire of scholarship and the true spirit of sportsmanship.

When he was awarded the highest honour that the Kandy school could bestow on any of its products -The General Lion-the insignia for the highest level of excellence-this column had the privilege of pinning that Lion on his jersey during a celebration in Melbourne.

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RUGBY: Soon after that ‘Lightning Bolt’ struck the London 2012 Olympics, one can venture to say that its aftershocks were felt thousands of miles away at Havelock Park in our own microcosm of the Sri Lanka Rugby Olympics. This was when Kandy Sports, the reigning league champions, who had worn the crown securely for eleven long years, were dethroned by the unpredictable, yet ebullient, Havelocks Sports Club.

That this dethroning came in dramatic fashion was all the more significant as the odds were stacked against the Havies in spite of a strong, albeit surprising, showing during the season. The shock and awe they inflicted on Kandy was nothing less than rugby being served at the Park neat. No chasers. No adulteration. But on the rocks.

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OLYMPIC GAMES: One of the pastimes of London Bookies is to wager on any and all things: even if it was a wafer thin fantasy. But there was one during London 2012 that blew one’s mind, if not one’s hair. And that was when bets were accepted on whether the fabled hair of London’s Mayor Boris Johnson will catch fire when the Olympic Torch is carried close to him! The chances, as predicted, were that it would and the bets were stacked in favour. But then Johnson upset the stakes. The ‘mop-topped’ Johnson went and had a haircut. Some people lost their shirts!

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Here is an exercise we must take together. Take a deep breath and get into an act of concentration. Now focus on the seconds hand on your watch. Start counting as you snap your fingers in rapid fire succession.

On your Marks, Set, Go! …snap one, snap two; snap three; snap four, snap five, snap six, snap seven, snap eight and snap nine and snap ten.

It took me under 10 seconds to do this. And that’s what it took seven of the eight competitors in the 100 meters dash at the Olympics. What’s your count? Well it took that marvel of a man, Usain Bolt just nine snaps of your fingers – 9.63 secs-to cover 100 meters.

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RUGBY: He lived down the street where we lived. His home, 177, Trincomalie Street, Kandy, served as a rallying point to many: from Trinity boarders who would scoot off and seek refuge; to Trinity’s Asgiriya groundsman Marthelis who would patronize the Tavern only a squirt away; to driver Banda and the Mahaiyawa cheer squad leader Cortal dropping in to pay respects. Then there were streams of rugby players who would visit for counselling; and many of us simply for the pleasure of chatting with him, often late into the nights.

In all this, Denzil’s hospitality knew no bounds. With his gifted-trade marked-smile he opened door and hearts and minds. His eyes would capture one’s attention as they would well with affection, as if only you mattered to him. He had time for everyone, regardless of station in life.

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OLYMPICS: In ancient times Boxing at the Olympics was deadly. Boxing bouts had no rest periods and there were few restrictions. Hitting a man when he was down was OK! And boxers went at each other until one surrendered or died! But killing a man was not considered the ‘done thing’. So they decided to proclaim the dead boxer as the winner, in the absence of being able to hold his hand up! Then Olympic honours would be bestowed on the corpse in a solemn ceremony!

It was in Olympia in A.D.67, when the Roman emperor Nero decided to contest in the Chariot race. In the middle of the event he fell off his chariot and was left behind and could not complete the course. Nero who is infamously known for ‘fiddling while Rome burned’ was all powerful. And so the Olympic judges were pressurized to declare him winner of course!

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OLYMPICS: Dateline September 28, 2000. Sydney Olympics. Time 2.55 pm (Sri Lankan time). The event 200 metres women’s final. Over to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s commentator:

We have Beverly Mc Donald of Jamaica, Cathy Freeman of Australia, Pauline Davis-Thompson and Debbie Ferguson both from The Bahamas, Susan Jayasing from Sri Lanka, Australia’s Melinda Gainsford- Taylor and Ukraine’s Zhanna Pintusevich .

‘Marion undoubtedly is the most superior athlete in this event. The question is by how far she will go into 22 seconds. Australian Cathy Freeman- Gold medal in the 400- has made the 200 metres final. It’s her town and it’s her night. She won the world title three years ago. I do not think she can do it tonight. She can set up Melinda for a good run. Australian Cathy Freeman has to get out fast. But how quick will Jones be? She is double blinking at the camera; very relaxed; she has a job to do. Has a bit of pressure.’

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OLYMPICS: Dateline London July 1948. Ceylon was known only for its tea. And then the commentator in a worldwide BBC commentary gripped the attention of listeners glued to their radios and transistors:

This is Abrahams of the BBC speaking to you from London. The first event on the cards for this Fourteenth Olympiad-the first heat of the 400 metres hurdles for men, has got off the starting blocks.

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