The Defence Services Games 2009 got off to a flying start, with keen competition from sportsmen and women representing the three armed forces. Organized by the Defence Services Sports Board, under the chairmanship of the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, the premier defence sports event provides an opportunity to defence forces personnel to showcase their sports prowess.

Twenty-two sports disciplines are being worked off at several venues with the three armed forces sharing event organizing among themselves.

Due to operational commitments, many talented defence forces sports personalities had to forge their chances of showcasing their talents in the sports arena. They did so for their love of the Motherland and their commitment to duty has borne fruit bringing lasting peace to the once war-ravaged country. With their duty calls fulfilled, they have once again begun to show off their sporting talents by emerging triumphant with equal enthusiasm.

With the Navy’s facilitation under the guidance of its Commander whose love for sports is well-known and the cooperation of the Sri Lanka Army and Sri Lanka Air Force, the games have already begun to command wide acclaim from all sports loving personalities in the country. The Games Steering Committee, headed by Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy, Rear admiral DWAS Dissanayake with Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, Major General MCMP Samarasinghe and Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Vice Marshall PB Premachandra as members, is coordinating the games activities to ensure the success of the event.