The 13th Defence Services Games, where the three armed services engage in sportsmanship, ceremonially commenced today (12 September 2024) at the Sri Lanka Army Indoor Stadium in Panagoda with the gracious presence of tri services Commanders.

This year, the Games are hosted by the Sri Lanka Army and will officially begin on 25 September 2024, continuing through October of the following year. Over 4000 servicemen and women from the Army, Navy, and Air Force will compete in 39 sporting events—38 under the men’s category and 29 under the women’s category.

The quintessential outcome of these games is to promote comradeship among servicemen and women of the nation. It is a platform which assists to strengthen the bonds of friendship and harmony among the tri forces, in the arena of sports and on the fields of friendly strife and also to identify the new and talented athletes to represent the national and international sports competitions and at the same time an opportunity to improve the own sporting skills of the experienced athletes as well.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Vice President of the Defence Services Sports Board and the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa along with members of the Air Force Board of Management, Members of the Air Force Sports Council, senior tri forces officers and sportsmen and women.