Boxer Dharmasiri Weerakoon who participated at the Olympics in Rome in 1960, was born on September 28, 1938 in Colombo. Dharmasiri, who was educated at Christian College, Kotte took to boxing at the age of 12 years. His first boxing instructor was Mervyn Peiris.
Later, he joined the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) and received instructions and training from two competent Olympic Boxers, Albert Perera and Alex Obeyesekera. During the period from 1952 to 1956 Dharmasiri represented his school at the Stubbs Shield boxing events and recorded victories without much effort.
He also recorded victories in the National Boxing Meets conducted by the Ceylon Amateur Boxing Association in 1955 and 1956. In 1955, he won the Amateur, Intermediate and National Championships defeating his more experienced opponents.
For Dharmasiri, it was a simple task winning the National Boxing Championships continuously, during the period from 1958 to 1961. He won these championships in the lightweight and light welterweight classes while proving himself to be a talented boxer with International prospects.
In 1958, he won the William Manning Challenge Cup awarded to the Best Boxer at the National Boxing Meet.
In 1959, he won the Caltex Trophy as the Years Boxing Star. In 1958, he toured Calcutta, Banapur, and Bombay representing the YMCA and returned to Sri Lanka defeating all his Indian opponents at different meets.
The Sri Lanka Boxing Federation unanimously selected Dharmasiri to participate in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. Although at the Olympics, his first contest ended in a close tie, he lost to the Australian Boxer in the second round.
On his return after participating in the Olympics in Rome, he continuously participated in the Clifford Cup, Layton Cup and National Championship Meets until he bade farewell to boxing in 1961. After retirement from the ring, Dharmasiri did not quit boxing as he was so attached to the sport. He held the office of Secretary of the National Boxing Federation for a continuous period from 1985 to 1989 and rendered a devoted and dedicated service to the sport. He was elected Vice-President of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka and served as a Referee/Judge at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
He also held the International Boxing Trainers’ Certificate. Dharmasiri joined the Police as a Sub Inspector and later became the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP). (C.D)
