Sri Lanka’s number one schoolboy swimmer Heshan Unamboowe believes that he missed a national record in the 50 Metre Free Style event during the National and Junior National Aquatic Championship that was worked off at the Sugathadasa Swimming pool recently.

Unamboowe took part in five events and won all those events, establishing a national record and two Sri Lankan records.

He said that a possible record in the 50 Metre Free Style event went begging as he had to compete in the event soon after the 50 Metre Backstroke event, where he broke a Sri Lankan record.

"I am very satisfied about my performance in the National Championship. But I was aiming for another national record in the 50 Metre Freestyle event. I wasn’t able to break that as I was too tired," Unamboowe said in an interview with Sunday Island Sportstar.

In total, there were three national records and six national age group records that were broken in this year’s championship.

Unamboowe went onto finish as the Best Swimmer in the Men’s category while Miniruwani Samarakoon of Gateway International School, Kandy was adjudged as the best Female Swimmer.

Heshan established a new national record when he improved on his own 100 meter Free Style record finishing the event in 54.01 seconds. His previous record established early this year stood at 54:59.

Miniruwani Samarakoon also managed to account for a National Record when she improved on her own record. She finished the 100 Metre Butterfly event with a timing of 1 minute 09:61 seconds.

The other National Record at this year’s championship was established by Sachini Amarasinghe, who finished the 50 Metre Butterfly event to a timing of 31:33 seconds.

This is the third year in succession Miniruwani has won the Best Swimmer’s award and she was highly elated with her success. "I am very happy to win the best swimmers’ award for the third consecutive year and I believe that I am the first person to do so and it’s really pleasing."

The South Asian Games medalist, however, was disappointed that next year’s regional games will feature less long course events. "For the next South Asian games in Bangladesh, the organizers have reduced the number of long course events and that will be a disadvantage for long course swimmers like me."