Boxer Ratnayake off to Cuba tomorrow

by Leslie Fernando

BOXING: Anuruddha Ratnayake who became the first boxer to qualify to the Olympics to be held in 2008 in Bejing will leave tomorrow to Cuba for three weeks training at the Cuban Boxing Academy.

Ratnayake who represents Slimline Sports Club at boxing has been selected by the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka for special training course supported by the Amateur International Boxing Association and the Asian Amateur Boxing Association.

He is to represent Sri Lanka at the Bejing Games in the 51 Kg bout. Ratnayake who ended up with a ranking of fifth in the world at AIBA World Boxing Championships in Chicago, Illinois in October has been in training here under supervision of three knowledgable doctors.

Ratnayake on completion of training in Cuba is expected to compete in three International Boxing Meets.

In addition to Sri Lanka's Olympic hope Ratnayake, two other national boxers Manju Wanniarachchi and Kamal Sameera who failed to qualify to the Bejing Olympics at the October AIBA World Boxing Championships will box at the forthcoming Asian Qualifiers Meet in Bangkok, Thailand from January 17 to 21.

Wanniarachchi was unfortunate to have lost to the eventual gold medal winning Russian boxer in Chicago and the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka hopes he will come up with a better showing this time.