Record-breaking Triple Gold for Zahira’s MF Muhammad at School Games

MF Muhammad of Zahira College, a member of Sri Lanka’s national swimming squad, exhibited extraordinary talent at the All Island National School Games Swimming Championship, organized by the Ministry of Education, the event concluded on Friday at the Sugathadasa Stadium Swimming Pool Complex. Muhammad not only won three gold medals but also set three new meet records, earning the highest FINA points across all events.

Competing in the Under-18 category, the 16-year-old Muhammad dominated the pool in all his events, setting records in the 50m, 100m, and 200m breaststroke. His performance earned him the highest FINA points across all age groups in the boys’ category.

Muhammad’s remarkable swim in the 50m breaststroke was one of the highlights of the championship. He clocked an impressive 30.58 seconds, breaking the previous meet record of 31.85 seconds set by Dilruk Jayatihlake of Lyceum International School Wattala in 2017. By shaving over a second off the record.

In the 100m breaststroke final, Muhammad delivered another stunning performance, clocking 1:07.62. He erased the previous record of 1:10.59 set by Pramesh Cooray of St Peter’s College in 2019. Muhammad’s ability to slash three seconds off the existing record shows his excellent performance.

The most jaw-dropping achievement came in the 200m breaststroke final, where Muhammad obliterated the previous record by eight seconds. He finished the race in 2:29.65, far surpassing the 2:38.07 record set by Shaqib Riyaj of DS Senanayake College just last year. This impressive time displayed Muhammad’s endurance and technique.

Muhammad’s performance not only earned him three gold medals but also the highest FINA points among all boys’ age groups in the championship. His 611 FINA points in the 50m breaststroke, clocking 30.58 seconds, was the highest of the meet.

Behind Muhammad’s success is his coach, Fawaz Mohideen of Zahira College. Under Mohideen’s guidance, Muhammad has developed into a record-breaking swimmer, displaying discipline, focus, and an unrelenting drive to improve. This partnership has clearly paid off, as Muhammad continues to exceed expectations and break barriers.

MF Muhammad’s triple gold-medal performance at the All Island National School Games Swimming Championship is just the beginning of what could be a stellar swimming career. His ability to break records and consistently earn high FINA points puts him on a path toward further national and international success.

At just 16-year-old, Muhammad has already proven himself to be one of Sri Lanka’s most promising young swimmers. There is little doubt that he will continue to shine in the pool, bringing glory to both Zahira College and Sri Lanka in the international pool.