A five year old girl swam across the Kelani Ganga last morning at a point where it was about 1000 metres wide, to the amazement of a large crowd that had gathered to witness the event.
The small girl who performed this amazing feat is Viyama Oshadhi of Sedawatta, Wellampitiya. She swam across the river starting from Kelani river bank in Sedawatta under the observation of two instructors of the Sports Medical Institute -- G.A. Ranil Panditaratne and J.R.J.Udugama.
Oshadhi took 14 minutes and 41 seconds to swim across the river. The two sports instructors said this was the first time a girl of her age had attempted such a feat.
Oshadi’s father, Nimal Peiris Hemachandra (49), said that she had had a great liking to swim from her small days. Oshadhi, who is learning swimming under a swimming instructor, said that she hoped to swim in the sea in a similar manner in the future. She is a student of the Carlton pre-school in Colombo.
A large crowd had gathered on the banks of the Kelani Ganga in Sedawatte to see her swim across the river and they cheered and encouraged her during the swim. Colombo district MP R. Duminda Silva and Provincial Councilor Renuka Perera were also there to see the girl swimming across the river. After she had finished the swim Mr. Duminda Silva gifted her a laptop computer to encourage her.
Courtesy DM - By Shantha Seneviratne
