Iran men, Sri Lanka women win Central Asian Zone beach volleyball

Women’s champion Sri Lanka team Deepika Bandara and Dinesha Prasadini   

Men’s champion Iran team Sina Shoukati and Mojitaba Aro

By Susil Premalal

Iran men and Sri Lanka women emerged champions in the first Central Asian Zone Beach Volleyball Championship held at Negombo Beach Park on Sunday.   

Five countries took part in the men’s competition while three countries competed in the women’s event.   In the men’s final, Iran’s number one team comprising Sina Shoukati and Mojitaba Aro defeated Sri Lanka’s number two team (Anjana Sandeepa and Sandun Madushanka) 2-0.   

Sri Lanka’s women not only emerged champions but they won the second and third places as well.   
In the women’s final, Sri Lanka’s number one team (Deepika Bandara and Dinesha Prasadini) beat Sri Lanka’s number two team (Shehani Asanga and Sulochana Jayawardena) 2-0.   

Sri Lanka’s number three team (Chathurika Weerasinghe and Hasini Malsha) beat Maldives’ number one team (Aminath Rudhaina and Hawwa Nazima) 2-0.   

Although Sri Lanka’s men qualified to play in the third-place playoff they were forced to concede a walk over to Iran because their players were suffering from injury.