Over 300 players for Ritzbury Junior Squash Nationals
Over 300 players between the ages of eight to 18 years will compete
in the Ritzbury Junior National Squash Tournament which will be worked
off from October 17 to 23 at the Tamil Union Sports Complex, Colombo.
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The Senior Brand Manager of Ritzbury Nilupul de Silva handing
over the sponsorship cheque for the Junior Squash Nationals
to the President of the Sri Lanka Squash Federation Commodore
Palitha Weerasinghe. Also in the picture is Assistant
General Manager (Marketing) of Ceylon Biscuits Nadeeja
Karunatilleke. Pic: Lalith C. Gamage |
The events in which the players will be taking part are boys under
19, girls under 19, boys under 17, girls under 17, boys under 15, girls
under 15, boys under 13, girls under 13, boys under 11, girls under 11,
boys under 9, girls under 9 and in the Novices Tournament. Boys under
19, girls under 19, boys under 15, girls under 15, boys under 11, girls
under 11.
Binura Jayasuriya and Gihan Swaris will be the top seeds for the boys
under 19 event while Nadindi Udangawa and Dulakshi Ellkawela will be the
top seeds for the girls under 19 event.
The President of the Sri Lanka Squash Federation Commodore Palitha
Weerasinghe thanked Ritzbury for coming forward to sponsor the Junior
Nationals for the fourth consecutive year. This tournament will be
followed by the Janashakthi Open, an Inter-Club Tournament and the
Nationals in December and the Federation hopes to popularise the game in
the rural areas with the support of the Ministry of Sports.
He also revealed that an Asian Level One coaching programme will be
conducted by former national player Yasmin Zarook and Brigadier Tissa
Jayatunge while another special programme will be conducted on November
5 to mark World Squash Day. The SLSF President also said that the
Ritzbury Junior Squash Nationals will be used as a qualifier for
national ranking. Squash is gaining popularity in Sri Lanka and
presently there are over 500 squash players in the country.
Ritzbury's Senior Brand Manager Nilupul de Silva said that Ceylon
Biscuits Limited and Ritzbury was delighted to continue its support to
the tournament. Squash is becoming more popular among schoolchildren. It
is an up and coming sport which needs energy and his company is happy to
support a sport of that nature which gives youth an opportunity to
develop their skills and go onto represent the national team in the
future.
Nilupul said that Ceylon Biscuits has been sponsoring volleyball,
football, athletics and under 19 schools cricket in a big way and will
continue to sponsor sporting events in the future too. |
