Central and Western Province win NSG Boxing Titles

Central Province Men’s Boxing Team  

By Susil Premalal   

Central Province and Western Provinces took major honours at the 48th National Sports Games (NSG) Boxing Championships, conducted by the Department of Sports Development of the Sports Ministry and worked-off at the Torrington Indoor Sports Complex at Racecourse in Colombo.   

Meanwhile, Army BC pugilists Lahiru Lakmal Chandrabandara (Men’s) and H. K. N. N. Perera (Women’s) representing the Western Province carried away the Best Boxer Awards.   

The Central Province emerged champions in the Men’s category winning 10 medals consisting of four Gold, two Silver and four Bronze Medals.   

The Western Province dominated the Women’s division clinching 12 medals consisting of four Gold, two Silver and six Bronze Medals.   

The five-day competition saw over 300 boxers from all over the island competing for honours.   

The Gold Medal winners for Central Province in the Men’s category were H. M. L. P. Jayawardhana (Under-48kg), K. S. K. Abeygunawardhana (Under-51kg), H. A. H. D. Hettiarachchi (Under-63.5kg) and Y. M. Usaith (Under-75kg).   

U. G. N. K. Amarawansha (Under-60kg) and R. G. U. S. Rupassara (Under-75kg) won Silver Medals.  

The Western Province produced three Gold Medallists – Y. S. P. Sudamma (Under-86kg), P. A. R. Prasanna (Under-57kg) and P. M. L. L. Chandrabandara (Under-71kg) who was adjudged as the Best Boxer (Men’s) of the tournament.   

An outstanding product of St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy, Chandrabandara caused a major upset when he outpointed I. P. D. C. Udayakumara who won a Gold Medal at an international tournament in Seychelles.  

A two-time national champion, Chandrabandara, 32, attached to the Army’s Military Corps, tactically outsmarted his tough rival from Air Force BC representing North Central Province who appeared to run out of steam.  

The Gold Medallists for the Western Province in the Women’s category were H. K. N. N. Perera (Under-48kg), R. A. N. Pushpakumari (Under-50kg), K. K. I. T. Perera (Under-54kg) and H. Y. R. Fernando (Under-57kg).   

S. H. S. R. Fernando (Under-52kg) and K. M. A. N. Perera (Under-66kg) won Silver Medals.   

The Southern Province also produced four Gold Medallists – L. I. N. Malshani (Under-52kg), N. G. M. P. Dasunika (Under-63kg), W. W. A. K. Thiwanka (Under-70kg) and W. G. K. Lalani (Under-75kg).   

Meanwhile, Nethmi Perera, 21, of the Army Women’s Corps was adjudged as the Best Boxer (Women’s) for displaying superb ring craft throughout the competition to outclass her rival from Sabaragamuwa Province M. K. M. Muthuni in the final.   

A product of Medankara MV, Horana, this is the second major Best Boxer Award for Perera, who won the Layton Cup last year.