Sri Lanka’s precious boxer Manju back home

By A. C. de Silva

BOXING: It was time to celebrate in the early hours of yesterday. The occasion was the arrival of Sri Lanka’s prize possession - boxer Manju Wanniarachchi at the Katunayake Airport after his exploits at the Commonwealth Games Boxing in New Delhi.

Wanniarachchi and the other members of the Sri Lanka contingent returned after the Commonwealth Games early last morning at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake.

It was a happy Wanniarachchi that came home as he was the only competitor to win a gold medal for Sri Lanka at the Games this year.

He won the gold medal in the 56 kg Bantam Weight category and the boxer he beat was Sean McGoldrick of Wales. Wanniarachchi was declared winner on the count back (16:14) after the final bout finished 7-7. The Sri Lankan fighter had already become his country’s first boxing medal winner since the Auckland Games in 1950 by winning his quarter-final on Sunday, guaranteeing him at least a bronze.

The last gold was won by Ansdale “Barney” Henricus in Sydney in 1938.

Wanniarchchi was the only non-British boxer to win gold in the first session of the contest, but India added three in the second to stop a rout by the British “home nations”.

In the end, British boxers won six of the 10 golds on offer (Northern Ireland three, England two, Scotland one). In all, the hosts won seven boxing medals (three gold, four bronze), ahead of Northern Ireland with five (three gold, two silver) and England on five (two gold, three silver). Manju born on 2nd December, 1979, can keep this precious gold medal as a advanced birthday present. His old school Vidyartha College, Kandy will no doubt be very proud of his achievement and his club Slimline Boxing Club will no doubt be overjoyed with the honour that he brought back home from the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

Earlier in International Boxing Meets Sri Lanka won the first gold medal at the Commonwealth Games (earlier known as the Empire Games) in 1938 by A.W. Henricus in Sydney, Australia. Then later, Sri Lanka won two silver medals and a bronze medal in 1950 at the Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand with K. Edwin and Albert and Alex Abeysekere won bronze medal. Manju Wanniarachchi had won gold medal at Indo-Sri Lanka dual meet in 1995 and followed it up with silver medal in the Adajjania Cup in India in 1996 and a silver medal too in Pakistan. In 2004 at the SAF Games in Islamabad he won a silver, then in the Geen Hill Tournament in Pakistan got a bronze and followed it up with gold medal at the Indo-Sri Lanka meet. He also won a bronze at the Goa International the same year.

In 2005 at the Philippine-Sri Lanka dual, he won a gold and in the same year won a silver at the Kings Cup meet in Thailand.

So, the latest meet - that’s the Commonwealth games in New Delhi will no doubt be something precious for Manju Wanniarachchi. He will never forget the date he won gold in his lifetime.

Time to celebrate... Sri Lanka’s golden boy Manju Wanniarachchi jubilates at the airport on arrival after his gold medal winning exploits in New Delhi at the Commonwealth Games in boxing. AFP	Gold medal winner Manju Wanniarachchi jubilates on arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake. AFP