Sri Lanka proudly unveiled its official kit for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, designed and produced by MAS Holdings, at a grand event. The ceremony began with the lighting of the oil lamp by Sri Lankan Olympics Team Leader Dilhani Lekamge, President of the Sri Lanka Olympic Committee Gen. Palitha Fernando, former Olympian Sriyani Kulawansa OLY, Rear Admiral Dr. Shemal Fernando, Director general of sports ministry,Mahesh Amalean, Co-founder and Chairman of MAS and other distinguished guests.
Dilshan Mohamed, Director of Marketing & Business Development at MAS Holdings, delivered an inspiring speech. He emphasized how MAS Holdings has meticulously engineered the sports clothing, taking great care to study each athlete’s needs, event specifics, and venues. This dedication aims to help athletes perform at their best. He also wished all the athletes good luck for the upcoming Olympic games.
Maxwell De Silva, Secretary of the National Olympic Committee, thanked MAS Holdings for their continuous support over the past 20 years. Following this, agreements were signed between MAS and the NOC, represented by Suren Subramanium and Dinesh De Silva.
The highlight of the event was the revealing of the new jersey, inspired by the traditional martial art Angampora. The game day kit, podium kit, and training kit were showcased through an engaging video presentation. In a symbolic gesture, Dilhani Lekamge, the team leader, received the Olympic jersey on behalf of the team. She shared her journey of striving to qualify for the Olympics for 20 years, thanking her coaches, the Sri Lankan Army, the National Athletic Corporation, and especially MAS Holdings for their support.
A significant part of the event was the inauguration of the MAS Athlete Training Academy, announced by Mr. Ruwan Keragala, COO of MAS Holdings. He outlined a long-term plan extending to the Brisbane Olympics 2032. This initiative, aimed at nurturing future Olympians, has selected 56 school athletes from all nine provinces of Sri Lanka. These athletes, chosen by a panel of experts including university lecturers, former Olympians, and representatives from the sports ministry, will be evaluated regularly at 19 MAS centers within a 60km radius.
The academy will use a Canadian app to monitor the athletes, with an eight-year investment of 650 million rupees, marking the first and largest direct investment in Sri Lankan sports history by a private company. The scholarship program includes equipment and gear, nutrition and supplements, medical support, specialized training, international exposure, tuition fees, insurance, transport, and quarterly evaluations. Coaches will also receive equipment, allowances, specialized training, and international exposure.
The event concluded with a speech by the Minister of Education, Mr. Susil Premjayanth, who wished the athletes good luck and praised the rigorous efforts of the MAS Athlete Training Academy.
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