From left: Binuda Amaranayake (Co-Chairman Organising Committee), Ulfath Uwais (Co-Chairman Organising Committee) Pasindu Gunarathna (Director General, NYSC) and Senula Deelanka (Chairman, Youth Vision) 

By Susil Premalal
The inaugural President’s Trophy Water Polo Tournament 2024, organised by the National Youth Services Council (NYSC) in collaboration with the Royal College Union Aquatic Club (RCUAC) and Youth Vision 2048 will be held on June 29 and 30 at the Sugathadasa Swimming Pool Complex in Colombo.
Over 400 competitors representing 31 teams will compete in this tournament, which will be conducted in the age group categories of Under-13, Under-17, Under-19 and Open.
The schools participating in this event are Bishop’s College, Visakha Vidyalaya, Ladies’ College, Musaeus College, D. S. Senanayake College, Thurstan College, Nalanda College, S. Thomas’ College, St. John’s College and Royal College.
The clubs and organisations participating in this tournament are Air Force SC, BCOGA, LCOGA, VVOGA, DSOBA, OTSC and RCUAC.
In addition to all current school teams, this tournament is set to feature key players from the recent past including Aaqil Zuhair, Yumal Bollegala, Seevali Gurusinghe and Shreshtha Anthoniz from the record-breaking S. Thomas’ Team of 2022.
More national players will feature in the Women’s side comprising Shenara David, Aneesah Fowzie and Charya Dharmadasa.
The team to watch out for will be the Sri Lanka Air Force Men’s Team coached by Poorna Kankanige - who has two victorious years behind him as coach having also secured the 2024 Open League Title.

It is worth noting that D. S. Senanayake College has also entered a club team this year, a move that will benefit their school team in future years.
In the Under-17 category, St. John’s will play for a semi-final position with Nalanda College. At the same time, Thurstan will face D. S. Senanayake in a similar high-stakes game to contend for medal positions on day 2.
Musaeus College have fielded three teams for the Under-13, Under-17 and Under-19 categories showing rapid development to their coaching programme - only one year in the making.
They will come up against the favourites Vishaka, Bishop’s College and Ladies’ College looking to take an early lead in the season on the top podium in Girls’ water polo this year.
Royal and S. Thomas’ will take this season opener for all its worth to extract as much data about each before the annual encounter in October and will be one of the most anticipated games in the tournament.
Further details about the tournament could be obtained from the Tournament Directors Binuja Amaranayake from NYSC at [email protected] and Ulfath Uwais from RCUAC at [email protected].