The island nation’s leading hockey tourney, the 19th Blue & Gold Hockey 7s will be played on Saturday (10) and Sunday (11) at Royal College Grounds in Reid Avenue with the participation of 43 boys’ teams and 25 girls’ teams. Last year St. Joseph’s College won the boys’ and Holy Family Girls School; Wennappuwa gained the girls’ titles.
Organised by Royal College in association with Royal College Hockey Club (RCHC), the ESOFT Blue & Gold Hockey 7s will see over 150 matches including Cup, Plate, and Bowl finals.
The tournament had its retiring beginnings in 1992 without a sponsor when there was no hockey tournament lead at school level and since then this event has been the most anticipated hockey tournament in Sri Lanka surpassing the so-called district, provincial, and all-island tourneys. Started as a one-day tournament with just the top 16 hockey-playing schools in the island, today the Blue & Gold Hockey 7s has reached every nook and corner of the paradise isle where players who come from all parts of the island are looked after with accommodation, food and health facilities by the organisers. This year, the tournament sets a record with 68 teams in the fray.
Participating schools
Boys
Ananda College, Colombo
Asoka Vidyalaya, Colombo
Bandaranayake College, Gampaha
Christ Church College, Matale
D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo
Dharmadutha College, Badulla
Dharmaloka College, Kelaniya
Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya
Dharmaraja College, Kandy
Hindu College, Colombo
Hindu National School, Matale
Isipathana College, Colombo
Jaffna College, Vaddukoddai
Kingswood College, Kandy
Mahinda College, Galle
Maris Stella College, Negombo
Maris Stella College, Thimbirigaskatuwa
Menikdiwela Central College, Kandy
Nalanda College, Colombo
Presidents College, Maharagama
Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa
Rangiri Dambulla National School
Richmond College, Galle
Royal College – Blues, Colombo
Royal College – Golds, Colombo
Sandalankawa Central College
St. Aloysius’ College, Galle
St. Anthony’s College, Kandy
St. Benedict’s College, Colombo
St. Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa
St. Joseph’s College, Colombo
St. Peter’s College, Colombo
St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy
St. Thomas’ College, Matale
St. Thomas’ College, Matara
S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia
Trinity College, Kandy
Vidyaloka College, Galle
Vidyartha College, Kandy
Vijaya College, Matale
Wesley College, Colombo
Zahira College, Colombo
Zahira College, Matale
Girls
Christ Church College, Matale
Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya
Girls High School, Kandy
Holy Family Girls School, Wennappuwa
Janadhipathi Balika Vidyalaya, Galle
Janadhipathi Balika Vidyalaya, Nawala
Ladies College, Colombo
Mahamaya College, Kandy
Menikdiwela Central College, Kandy
Musaeus College, Colombo
Panadura Balika Maha Vidyalaya
Pushpadana Girls College, Kandy
Rangiri Dambulla National School
Rathnavali Balika Vidyalaya, Gampaha
Sandalankawa Central College
Sanghamitta Balika Vidyalaya, Galle
Seethadevi Balika Vidyalaya, Kandy
Siri Seewali Maha Vidyalaya, Matale
Southlands Girls College, Galle
St. Anthony’s Girls College, Kandy
Swarnamali Girls’ College. Kandy
Uva Science College, Haliela
Viharamahadevi Balika Vidyalaya, Badula
Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo
Yasodara Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo