South Asian Games: boxers hope to win many medals

by Leslie Fernando

Much will be expected of the Sri Lankan boxers as the South Asian Games gets close. Considering the quality of the boxers in the line-up, the Sri Lanka audiences are sure to be treated to a feast of high class boxing from August 19 to 26 at the Sugathadasa Stadium ring said Dian Gomes, the President of the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka.

It would be a tall order for the Sri Lankans, but the experts feel that they have it in them to overcome the odds and come up on top of the clash of South Asian titans.

The selections of boxers for the South Asian Games pool was done from the National Boxing Championships. Twenty two boxers were under training at Pannala under Cuban coach George Lewis Frometa Mates and assisted by R. K. Indrasena. On completion of the Layton Cup Championships, final II boxers were selected said Gomes. They are in a residential coaching camp in Pannala. Gomes added that six pugilists had a great chance of participating at the Greenhil International Boxing Championships last week and their performances were very impressive.

Furthermore all II boxers will get yet another opportunity of gaining more experience when they box against the Vietnam boxers at the dual meet to be held on July 22 to 24. The Dual Boxing Championships is totally sponsored by MAS Holdings.

Boxing chief Gomes added that the Sri Lankan contingent will be entering the games as one of the front runners, looking to improve on their performances at the previous event held in Islamabad in 2004 where they secured a total of 7 medals (1 Gold, 3 Silver, 3 Bronze). Three of the medal winners from 2004 Harsha Kumara, Manju Wanniarachchi and Kamal Sameera even made further strides in their careers and will be expected to come out hard at their opponents, repeating the performances in front of their home crowd.

Resurgence in boxing

Gomes further said that for a sport that has been vilified and maligned by some and adored and revered by others, boxing has risen like the legendary phoenix in Sri Lanka over the past few years.

Professional administration, grassroot level coaching and international exposure has been the corner stone, of this resurgence in boxing in the country. Over the past year, the boxers have brought back medals from events in the calibre of the King's Cup and the Commonwealth Championships which clearly shows the fact that boxing as a sport has resurfaced as one of the hot medal contenders for Sri Lanka on the international platform. The success can be attributed to the personalities at the helm of the sport in the country who have been professional in their approach, nurturing the support network for the boxers to gain the skills to be competitive at international level.

The latest conquest made by Sri Lankan boxers was when Anusha Kodituwakku won the first ever Gold medal and emerged as the Asian Fly Weight champion at the Hanoi Women's International in early July. Although there wont be any female participation in boxing at the forthcoming SA Games, her historic achievement will be an inspiration to all boxing enthusiasts telling the fact that Sri lanka boxing has well and truly arrived on the big stage.

The repeated success achieved by our boxers have now positioned them as a force to be reckoned with in the region.

Gomes said that all facilities are being provided to the boxers and everything is in place. New boxing ring will arrive shortly from Thailand. The Sports Ministry is responsible for the funds for the equipment and furthermore the pugilists are also provided nutritions.

Gomes said that ABA is receiving good support from the SA Games Secretariat, National Olympic Council, Sports Ministry as the sport is well organised and prepared for the Games and the affairs run smoothly without any problems.

President confident

The ABA also has held and conducted several seminars for referees and judges successfully. Several foreign officials are also expected to officiate at the SA Games boxing.

Boxers from Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Afganistan, Bhutan and Nepal will 'fight' in eleven weight classes. At the 2004 SAF Games held in Pakistan, the hosts made a clean sweep winning ten gold medals and one silver.

According to Gomes, Sri Lanka will win 3 gold medals and 3 silver medals.

Our boxers will face stiff opposition especially from Pakistan and India. Sri Lanka's top medal contenders are: Manju Wanniarachchi, Kamal Sameera, Harsha Kumara who are grouped in with experienced international boxers from Pakistan and India.

However, Sri Lanka's Cuban coach Formeta Mates is upbeat about the team's chances at the Game.

"The opposition will be good but then if you are to be the best, you've got to beat the best and I believe the boys have the skill will and fire in them to do just that." said Mates, voicing the optimism of his team.

The renaissance in boxing did not happen overnight, it took time, effort, commitment and inspirational leadership of the Amateur Boxing Association at the helm of which lies a man now synonymous with inspirational leadership - Dian Gomes. His visionary leadership and nurturing over the past three years has been a key factor in shaping Sri Lankan boxers into the world class athletics they are today.

The squad with their weight classes: T. M. C. Tennekoon (48 Kg Light Fly Weight), T. B. Harsha Kumara (51 Kg Fly Weight), Manju D. K. Wanniaarachchi (54 Kg Bantam Weight), A. K. G. Kamal Sameera (57 Kg Feather Weight), W. R. G. G. Weligalle (60 Kg Light Weight), A. G. N. Bandara (64 Kg Light Welter), S. I. Kumara (69 Kg Welter Weight), P. R. D. A. Fernando (75 Kg Middle Weight), L. H. P. S. Weeratunge (81 Kg Light Heavy Weight), D. R. P. Dissanayake (91 Kg Heavy Weight), M. I. Hamsar (91 Kg and over Super Heavy Weight).