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| Sunday, 12 December 2004 |
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Lanka women pugilists win three medals in Taiwan by LAL GUNESEKERA Sri Lanka's women's boxers did themselves and their country proud by bagging one silver medal and two bronze medals at the Taiwan International Boxing Championships in the precinct of Hualien in Chinese Taipei recently where 14 countries competed for honours. Competing against heavy-weights in the sport like USA, India, Canada, Russia and the Philippines, the Sri Lankan lasses did very well to win three medals. Continuing its resurgence in the sport in recent times, Sri Lanka fielded a five-member team with the twin objective of bringing back medals and giving the boxers invaluable international experience. Nilmini Jayasinghe was the first to take guard and met the eventual champion Emily Linefelter of the USA in the preliminaries of the 50 kg category. The American girl won 21-6 and went on to beat Japan's Fujioka Naoke in the final. Bronze medallist Chandrika Guruge took apart Canada's Jazquie Park 11-9 in the 46 kg category and met Gratehan Abaniel in the semi-finals, but lost 43-49. Abaniel went on to win the gold medal. Making her debut in international boxing, Niluka Karunaratne, fought Chia-ling Chen of Taiwan 'A' in the 52 kg category and lost 7-22. Chen lost in the final to an Indian. Anusha Kodituwakku took the bronze in the 48 kg category, but fell short of a silver medal when she lost to Jennifer Peckend of the Philippines 5-19, but Sri Lanka's moment of glory came in the unlikely 63 kg heavy weight category when Sumudu Pitigala lost a tough fight to Australia's Hayley Lingard 9-15 to win a silver. Manager of Sri Lanka's team Palitha Pieirs said that Sri Lanka's performance was all the more remarkable when compared to its neighbour India who won just two medals. He said that our lasses now know what exactly is expected of them. Dian Gomes, President of the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) of Sri Lanka, says that his vision is for an Olympic medal and that the country is preparing for a packed international schedule next year (2005), including the Indonesia Cup and South Asian Games and that the future augurs well for the sport. Meanwhile, seven boxers accompanied by four officials are now in Indonesia competing in the 20th President's Cup International Championships. The seven pugilists are N. Alexandra (48 kg), A. Ratnayake (51 kg), M. Wanniaratchi (54 kg), K. Sameera (57 kg), Upali Bandara (60 kg), Wakadapola (63.5 kg) and S. I. Kumara (69 kg), while the officials are Hemantha Weerasinghe (Manager), Fometa Matos (coach), S. K. P. Kiridena (Referee/Judge) and Dr. Rajakulendran (Medical Officer). |
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