Anuradhapura’s Ryan Weerasinghe to represent Sri Lanka at chess in China

by Nimal Wijesinghe - Anuradhapura Additional District Group Corr.

CHESS: Ryan Chandupa Weerasinghe - a grade three student of St. Joseph’s College, Anuradhapura has qualified to represent Sri Lanka at the Asian Youth Chess Championship 2010 in Beijing, China. The tournament will be played from July 8 to 15. He has also been given an opportunity to participate at the World Youth Chess Championship to be held in Halkidiki in Greece in October too.

Ryan is only 7 years old and holds the record as the only chess player from North Central Province to come to this high position in chess.

This talented young boy has won gold medals for boys under seven and under 8 categories at district level and bagged the all island inter-school chess championship for under seven boys in 2009. He has also won a gold medal for “Best Among under 8 boys in Sri Lanka Open Chess Championship this year.

Ryan’s most significant achievement has been the winning of the championship under 8 years for boys at the National Youth Chess Championship held at Royal College in April this year.

Though Ryan has been quite successful in chess, he is trying to find a sponsor to further his interest in chess. He has two Asian and International Chess Championships ahead of him. Ryan’s father Nihal Weerasinghe and his mother are both attached to the Water Supply and Drainage Board at Anuradhapura and they hope that some sponsor comes their way to help their son Ryan to further his interest in chess.

Ryan needs a coach to further his interest in chess. According to his father Nihal Weerasinghe there is no coach in Anuradhapura to push his son up.