Sivali Central going places in the boxing arena

By Lal Gunesekera

The uncut gems of Ratnapura need a bit more polishing and they are certain of bringing honour to the country in boxing. Caltex Lubricants Lanka Limited are doing just that from October 2002 and the boxers of Sivali Central College have not only done their school proud, but also their generous sponsors by winning the all important Stubbs Shield (they have won it on eight occasions) and the T. B. Jayah Memorial Trophy too.

They have been winning many meets and Caltex decided to felicitate these boxers from Sivali at a function held at the Royal Colombo Gold Club (RCGC) on Friday evening. In attendance was Sivali Principal (D. M. Gunaratne), W. M. Gunatilleke (President, Sri Lanka Schools Boxing Association), Kishu Gomes (Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Caltex), Imal Fonseka (General Manager, Sales and Marketing of Caltex), Shehan Perera (Brand Manager of Caltex) and Ms Niloufer Vandergert (Manager, Public Relations of Caltex).

Kishu Gomes congratulated the boxers of Sivali on their recent success and said that with Wasantha Kumara (an old boy and coach), the school’s boxers will climb greater heights.

He further said that Sivali has produced top-notch boxers in the calibre of Kamal Sameera and Alexander who have done well on the international scene and also congratulated Harsha Wanigasuriya who has not lost a bout since 2002.

Gomes went on to congratulate Wasantha Kumara on his recent wedding and hoped that the new couple will produce a son who will go on to represent the country and bring honour in boxing.

Principal of Sivali Central College, D. M. Gunaratne, said that the school was very happy about the success of one of their old boys, Kamal Sameera, who won a bronze medal for the country at Commonwealth level after 50 years and thanked Caltex profusely for their generosity. He thanked Kishu Gomes in particular for giving new life to the boxers of Sivali and promised that one day, a boxer from Sivali will win an Olympic medal.

A former Principal of Sivali and President of the SLSBA, W. M. Gunatilleke, too spoke about the keeness shown by old boy Wasantha Kumara to help with the coaching of boxers at his old school that has produced some top notch pugilists. He said that there were about 300 to 400 students under training in boxing at Sivali and was proud with the fact that most of the schools in the Ratnapura District are coached by old boys of Sivali Central College. He said that even girls at Sivali has taken to the sport which was a good omen for the sport in the schools and country.