Anusha first woman to win GOLD in boxing

by Lal Gunesekera

The female of the species seems to be more deadlier than the male counterparts. Women's boxing started in Sri Lanka only quite recently and the first pugilist to win a gold medal at an international meet is 27-year-old Anusha Kodituwakku (48 Kg - Light Fly) at the Vietnam Open Women's Championships in Hanoi beating an Indian in the final after she got rid of a Vietnamese in the semi-final.

An employee attached to the Human Resources section of Slimline in Pannala, Anusha, was picked for Slimline for her prowess on the rugby field where she represented Sri Lanka at the Hong Kong International 7's in 2003 and 2004.

However, she decided to hang up her boots to concentrate on boxing, which sport she took to like a duck taking to water in 2003.

Speaking to the Sunday Observer, Anusha, said that it was Harsha Kumara who put on the gloves for her for the first time.

He coached her initially together with Amunugama, but she now comes under the guidance of Cuban coach, Pramitha, who was brought down to the country by Dian Gomes - Anusha's boss at Slimline, who also heads the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) of Sri Lanka.

In fact, Anusha, says that she was determined to win a gold medal in Hanoi and dedicates it to her boss, Gomes, who has helped her tremendously since giving her employment with a good salary and even found her accommodation close to her place of work at Pannala.

An old girl of Hemangalla MV in Giriulla, Anusha, was a top athlete at school. She excelled in the Javelin Throw and has won many medals, including gold at the National Schools Games.

She got through her G.C.E. O'Level and A'Level examinations with good results, but instead of perusing her higher studies at University, she opted to find employment and this is where Dian Gomes moved in and she has never forgotten it.

Hailing from Batapotella (one hour's drive to Pannala) where her parents live with two of her sisters. The elder sister, Dishna Dilrukshi, is married with two kids, while younger sister, Nadeeka Dilrukshi, is employed at another subsidiary of Slimline in Kuliyapitiya. Anusha'a father is a retired foreman from the CTB's Giriulla Depot.

Since entering the ring, Anusha, has reigned supreme - winning all her weight categories in Sri Lanka. Vietnam was her third overseas tour, having won a bronze at the Asian Championships in India in 2003 and yet another bronze at the Taiwan Open the following year (2004).

God willing, she says that she is determined to do well (who knows, even win a medal) at the World Championships to be staged in India in November this year and also hopes to qualify for the 2010 Commonwealth games.

Apart from Anusha, three other boxers won medals in Vietnam. They were Nilmini Jayasinghe also from Slimline who won a bronze in the 50 Kg (Fly) category, Army's Chandrika Guruge in the 46 Kg who also won a bronze and Susanthi also from Army in the 57 Kg (Feather) who too won a bronze.