An Invitation to all students at St.Antony's College, Kayts

It is abundantly clear from various reports in circulation that our college seriously lacks funds to support investment in teachers, education and administration. The efforts of the alumni associations all over the world are still proving to be inadequate. In such circumstances, it is no surprise that the college has fallen behind in extra curricular activities such as sports and games, in which the college was extremely well accomplished and renowned in the previous years.

Vincent Stanley Manuelpillai A Photograph of Vincent Stanley Manuelpillai as it appeared on front page of the Sunday Mirror dated 22nd October 1961 after his achievement at the All Ceylon Public Schools Athletic Championship Meet.

We, the Executive Committee of St Antony's College Kayts Alumni Association of Europe (SACKAAEU) based in the United Kingdom are keen to create a momentum in this direction. In this respect, we have successfully agreed with a sponsor to offer financial incentive to entice potential athletes at St Antony's College to step forward once again. Accordingly, we are pleased to announce that our sponsor, "Manuelpillai Foundation of London" has kindly agreed to fund an Awards Programme that we believe would encourage the current students to compete and challenge each other in pursuit of these awards.

Public Schools Certificate

Many of the past and present students will know that one of our most outstanding athletes of past years, Vincent Stanley Manuelpillai, placed the name of our college on the map of Sri Lanka in 1961 by winning the First Place in his chosen event, High Jump, at the All Ceylon Public Schools Athletic Meet, held in Colombo. In the same year, he broke and set a new college record in the same event. He was merely eighteen (18) years of age. Over forty three (43) years later, we would like to see a repetition of this achievement.

Last of the Seven College Certificates (All seven of them were first places)

Your challenge will be to equal or break his record, established in 1961. If you are successful, along with pride in your achievement and admiration from your fellow students, you will also enjoy two financial rewards from our sponsor, Manuelpillai Foundation of London through "St Antony's College Kayts Alumni Association of Europe" (SACKAAEU) based in the United Kingdom.

The Awards are as follows:

• Stanley's College Interhouse Athletic Meet (1961) record in High Jump was a height of 5'7" (Five feet and seven inches). Almost 43 years later, this record still stands. The first current student of St Antony's College to equal or break this record, whether the event is held in Kayts, Jaffna or in Colombo, will be awarded a sum of SL Rs.50, 000/- (Fifty Thousand Rupees by our sponsor. This will be subject to confirmation by the Principal (Rector) of the College. The student must be 18 (Eighteen) years of age or younger at the time of his achievement.

• Stanley went on to win the First Place in High Jump at the Oval grounds in Colombo, at the All Ceylon Public Schools Athletic Meet (1961) by clearing a height of 5'11" (Five feet and eleven inches). The first current student of St Antony's College to equal or break this record, whether the event is held in Kayts, Jaffna or in Colombo, will be awarded a further sum of SL Rs.50, 000/- (Fifty Thousand Rupees by our sponsor. This will be subject to confirmation by the Principal (Rector) of the College. The student must be 18 (Eighteen) years of age or younger at the time of his achievement.

PLEDGE

Last of the four Jaffna School Certificates (All four of them were first places)

We are delighted to confirm that the sponsor Manuelpillai Foundation of London has donated SL Rs.100, 000/- (One Hundred Thousand Sri Lanka Rupees) to the treasury of "St Antony's College Kayts Alumni Association of Europe" (SACKAAEU) based in the United Kingdom to finance the above awards scheme. This sum is deposited in a special account called "SACKAAEU Promotion of Athletics" in a bank in the United Kingdom. This is a savings account and any interest earned will be made available to the college to sponsor sports related activities at the sole discretion of the Alumni Association. Claims for these prestigious awards can only be submitted by the college Principal (Rector) in writing to the treasury of SACKAAEU with details of the achievement, supported by the winner's birth certificate as proof of age. "WE WISH EVERY STUDENT WHO VENTURES TO WIN THESE PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS EVERY SUCCESS"

Stanley, Now at 62 years of age, resides in London with his wife and two children.

....Stanley was awarded the Best Student All rounder Trophy in 1961 at the gala event held at the retirement of the College's oldest teacher, Mr Nicholaspillai fondly known as "Nikilapillai Master".

The Resume

Achievements

1. Won First Places for seven (7) consecutive years at the College Inter House Athletic Meets in his chosen event - the High Jump (1955 - 1961)

2. Won First Places for four (4) consecutive years at Jaffna Schools Athletic Chaimpion Meets in the High Jump (1958 - 1961)

3. Won First Places at All Ceylon Public Schools Athletic Meet in the High Jump Event (1961) by clearing 5'11" at 18 years of age, thus creating a new record as the only student who attempted to break the 6' (Six Feet) record of the great athlete of all time, Mr Ethirweerasingham, who went on to win the gold Medal at Asian Games, and thereafter participated at the Olympic Games as well.

It is to be noted that Mr Ethirweerasingham's six feet (6') record at Public School, still stands unbroken, and since Stanley's attempt, no other student in the whole of Sri Lanka has ever attempted to break the same to this date.

Awards

Stanley was awarded the Best Student All rounder Trophy in 1961 at the gala event held at the retirement of the College's oldest teacher, Mr Nicholaspillai fondly known as "Nikilapillai Master"