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by LAL GUNESEKERA

Niluka Karunaratne and Chandrika de Silva crowned themselves with glory at the historic Golden Jubilee National Championship of the Sri Lanka Badminton Association (SLBA) at the Royal College Sports Complex yesterday. This was sponsored by Commercial Bank.

The 17-year-old Karunaratne won a "double". A student at Royal College, Karunaratne, first won the men's singles title for the second consecutive year.

He beat Manjula Fernando who was seeded No. 1 in straight sets (15-7, 15-5). Karunaratne was seeded No. 3. Later he went on to win the men's doubles title partnered by Thanuja Liyanage beating Subash Janaka and Chinthaka Gunaratne at 15-5, 15-12 in quite an interesting battle.

Chandrika de Silva won the coveted Triple Crown for the fourth occasion, having won it earlier in 1998, 2000 and 2001. Yesterday, she won the women's singles title for the sixth time (having earlier won it in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001) beating Amali Ranasinghe in straight sets (11-4, 11-6).

Then she won the women's doubles title also for the sixth occasion (earlier won it in 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2001). Partnered by yet another former national champion, Kaushali Rodrigo (nee Dissanayake), Chandrika bet Pameesha Dishanthi and Tharanga Nishanthi again in straight sets (11-6, 11-2). Chandrika then partnered by Duminda Jayakody (a former national champion) won the mixed doubles title for the fifth occasion (having won it earlier in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001). They beat Chameera Kumarapperuma and Kaushali Rodrigo also in straight sets (11-5, 11-0).

Lui Karunaratne (father of Niluka) won the men's veterans singles title beating Hiran Fernando in straight sets (15-8, 15-2), while the men's veterans doubles title was won by two former champions, Sumith Guruge and Priyantha Wijesekera who beat Lui Karunaratne and Thilak Amarasinghe in a three-setter (15-17, 15-6, 15-0).

Sunil Jayasiri won the masters singles title beating Thilak Amarasinghe in a three-setter (8-15, 15-8, 15-8) while the masters doubles was won by D. Gunaratne and C. Perera who beat Thilak Amarasinghe and Nagoor Kaney in straight sets (15-4, 15-3).

Thisara Nimmika won the men's plate singles beating Dinuka Karunaratne in a three-setter (9-15, 17-15, 17-14), while Heshani Silva won the women's plate singles beating Ravihari de Silva in straight sets (11-7, 11-1).

Former national champions were felicitated by the SLBA at this historic event, while the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Johnston Fernando, distributed the awards.

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