Reviewed by Abeesha Wickramasinghe – English Debating Team
The Dr. Vijitha Weerasinghe Memorial Championship 2026, hosted by Royal College from the 5th to the 7th of June, made history as the largest debating tournament ever held in Sri Lanka, attracting an unprecedented field of 70 teams. With the introduction of Sri Lanka’s first-ever partial double octo-finals break, the tournament proved to be one of the most competitive events in the country’s debating calendar.
Among the 70 teams were four contingents representing Trinity College, as the school once again fielded a strong presence at the championship. Trinity A comprised Abeesha Wickramasinghe, Nimuthu Pathiraja and Nethula Hettihewage.
From the very first round, Trinity A found its rhythm, navigating the preliminary rounds with a flawless 5-0 record, beating St. Bridget’s Convent A and B, Anula Vidyalaya B, St. Thomas ‘ A and Ananda College B to finish as the top team heading into the outrounds. Yet, with the stakes rising and the margin for error narrowing, the path to the championship was anything but straightforward.
The Trinitians were first tested in the Octo-finals by Elizabeth Moir School in what proved to be one of the closest debates of their campaign. In a tightly contested encounter, Trinity A edged through on a narrow 1-0 split. The Quarter-finals against Ananda College B saw a more commanding performance, with the team securing victory on a clear 1-0 decision. Another stern challenge awaited in the Semi-finals against Hillwood College A, where Trinity A once again demonstrated its composure under pressure, prevailing on a 2-1 split to book its place in the Grand Final.
Standing one debate away from the title, Trinity A produced its finest performance of the tournament against Visakha Vidyalaya. Delivering with confidence and conviction, the team secured a unanimous 5-0 decision from the adjudication panel to complete an extraordinary undefeated run. Having won every preliminary round and every knockout debate, Trinity A completed a rare grand slam and emerged as champions of the Dr. Vijitha Weerasinghe Memorial Championship 2026.
Trinity B too enjoyed an impressive campaign. Finishing eighth after the preliminary rounds, they earned a direct berth to the Octo-finals, bypassing the newly introduced partial double octo-finals. Their tournament run came to a heartbreaking end in a closely fought encounter against Ananda College B, falling short by a mere 0.5 margin. Nevertheless, their top-eight finish highlighted the depth and strength of Trinity debating on the national stage.
Trinity’s success was reflected in the individual rankings as well. Nimuthu Pathiraja finished as the tournament’s second-best speaker, falling short of first place by a mere 0.1 speaker points, while three other Trinitians secured places among the top 30 speakers.
The triumph marked Trinity College’s first Open Tournament Championship since RI ISDC 2023 and added another proud chapter to the rich tradition of Trinitian debating. In a tournament that rewrote records, Trinity’s debaters ensured that their own campaign would stand among its defining stories one built on resilience, camaraderie and excellence.
This achievement would not have been possible without the guidance and unwavering support of coach Mr. Senuka Seneviratne, whose mentorship played an invaluable role throughout the campaign. The team is also deeply grateful to the Master-in-Charge, Mr. Achintha Jayasooriya, who accompanied the contingent, and to the Teacher-in-Charge of Debating, Mrs. Fathima Majeed, for their continued encouragement and commitment to the growth of debating at Trinity.
Teams Representing Trinity College
Trinity A
● Abeesha Wickramasinghe
● Nimuthu Pathiraja
● Nethula Hettihewage
Trinity B
● Shahruk Fairoz
● Rehan Anandakumar
● Muhammed Jameel
● Dilith Halahakoon
Trinity C
● Aritha Wickramasinghe
● Dilith Bandara
● Yumeth Epa
● Tavish Thadhani
Trinity D
● Seth Samarasinghe
● Jineth Athapaththu
● Wathila Andarawewa
● Nesath Keppetiyagama
● Abeesha Wickramasinghe – Captain – English Debating Team 2026
