Thilini does Sampath Bank proud

Olympic shuttler Thilini Jayasinghe has once again made her employer - Sampath Bank, proud by winning the women's singles 'crown' at the Mercantile Badminton Championships worked off at S. Thomas' Indoor Stadium, Mt. Lavinia recently.

Jayasinghe, who became the first ever woman badminton player to represent Sri Lanka in the 112-year-old history of the Olympic Games, regained her form with back to back titles in the last two ranking tournaments.

What is unique in Jayasinghe's triumph was that it was the reigning national champion Chandrika de Silva whom the Olympian beat in the Mercantile final. Representing Sampath Bank, Jayasinghe came out with some power - packed shots to humble Chandrika de Silva of Seylan Bank by 20/22, 23/21, 21/9 in the Women's Singles final.

It was only last year that Jayasinghe produced some champagne stuff to make it to the big league. The lass from the hill capital brought honour to both her employer Sampath Bank and Sri Lanka when she competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, opening a new chapter in Sri Lanka sports history.

Though Jayasinghe could not regain the national women's singles 'crown' last year, the 24-year-old banker regained lost supremacy at the recent Nationalised Services Open Championship. She not only had the better of that little-known schoolgirl who upset the Olympian at the Nationals Achini Ratnasiri, but also humbled the reigning women's singles champion.

The Nationalised Services Open Championship saw Jayasinghe going great guns, regaining her supremacy. She completed a grand double winning the women's singles and women's doubles titles to proving that she is still the best among women shuttlers in Sri Lanka.

On her way to the women's singles 'crown', Jayasinghe humbled the reigning Sri Lanka national champion Chandrika de Silva in the semi-finals 21-15, 10-21, 21-15. Jayasinghe was simply unstoppable in the final, thrashing schoolgirl Ratnasiri in straight sets 21-9, 21-12.

Jayasinghe thanked the management of Sampath Bank for all the encouragement and motivation her employer has given her to go places. She said CEO Harris Premaratne, Chief Operations Officer Aravinda Perera (who is also Sampath Bank Sports Club President), AGM (Marketing) Tharaka Ranwala and AGM (HR) Neil Bogahalanda for the support extended to excel in the sports arena. Power World Fitness Academy too, has helped Jayasinghe, offering guidance and fitness training facilities.