Pamoda Hettiarachchi :

Most Outstanding Sportsman at Dharmaraja

by Upananda Jayasundara - Kandy Sports Special Cor.

Pamoda Hettiarachchi was selected as the Most Outstanding Sportsman at the Dharmaraja College Colours Award ceremony held at the school.

The chief guest at the occasion was Rear Admiral Sarath Dissanayake - a distinguished old boy of the school.

Pamoda Hettiarachchi turned out to be an allround sportsman at Dharmaraja ever since he recorded his first victory as a ten year-old in the singles in badminton. He went from strength to strength and was the first runner-up in the All-Island under 15 Badminton Championship and he went on to become the first All-Island Title and adjudged the Most Promising Badminton Player in 2008.

There was no stopping Pamoda in his badminton career and he represented Sri Lanka Schools under 16 team at the Asian Junior Championship in 2007. He went on to represent Sri Lanka at the Junior Badminton Championships in Chinese Taipei and Singapore in 2011.

In the local scene Pamoda won colours for badminton at Central Province and Sri Lanka Schools and later was adjudged Best Player of the Year and became National Singles and Doubles. He was also runner-up at the World Junior Badminton Championships held in Perth, Australia in 2012.