Ravindu and Methsarani steal the limelight
The 25th Junior National Squash Championship 2014 organised by the Sri Lanka Squash Association and sponsored by Ritzbury Chocolates ended on a high note at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium squash courts last week-end.
Ravindu Laksiri and Mihiliya Methsarani stole the limelight when they won the Boy’s Under 19 and Girl’s Under 19 titles respectively. Seventeen events were worked- off at this year’s championship from Under 9 to Under 19 where schoolboys and schoolgirls performed with a lot of promise.
The Girls Under 11 finals between V.S. Chanithma Sinaly and Yehani Kuruppu turned out to be the best event for the day. Yehani Kuruppu led all the way in the first two sets with 7/11. 6/11, but the game turned upside down with Chanithma coming back strongly to win the last three sets with a convincing 11/9, 11/8, 11/4 victory to win the championship.
The Under 9 to Under 13 events were the focus of everyone who were present as these youngsters who will be the citizens of tomorrow are sure to carry the National Flag highly in the world squash arena.
The toddlers played the game to the best of their ability and the body languages clearly indicated their goals in winning the respective games with pride. It was happy picture to see when they collected their trophies and gift packs and walked away with charming smiles.
National No. 1 ranked Ravindu Laksiri playing in the Under 19 finals lived upto his expectations to beat his schoolmate Shamil Wakeel 3/0. In this game whenever Wakeel tried to attack, Ravindu positioned himself well to return smoothly and smartly. At the end elegant Ravindu walked away with the coveted trophy as the Boy’s Under 19 champion with a 3/0 victory.
The Girl’s Under 19 finals turned to be a closely contested affair between the National No. 1 and Bronze medallist at the 2013 Asian Youth Games in China - Mihiliya Methsarani and Naduni Gunawardene. Though Mihiliya won the first two sets easily Naduni came back strongly in the third set as she led half way and kept on fighting to level the score at 11 each. But experienced Mihiliya, cool as a cucumber, scored the all important two points to walk away with the glittering trophy as the champ with a 11/5, 11/4, 13/11 win.
S.D. Dias won the Boy’s Under 9 and Novices Championships.
– Lakshman Ranasinghe – Pix by Indika Handuwela
RESULTS
S.D. Dias bt. Pramuditha Thalagala (11/3, 11/0, 11/4)
S.D. Dias bt. C.T. Wekkasinghe (11/9, 7/11, 11/8, 11/7) D.H. Thinura Randina bt. E.A. Navindu Lakshman (13/11, 11/8, 11/9) I.K. Ashwin bt. Methmal Wood (5/11, 11/5, 13/11, 11/9)
Y.U. Dias bt.D.H. Abeysinghe ( 11/8, 11/6, 11/9) Druvinka Perera bt. Tuwin Osanda Nilakshana (11/2, 11/4, 12/10) M. Shamil Wakeel bt. Druvinka Perera (11/5, 11/6, 11/7)
Eshan Ettipola bt. T.L. Wijesiriwardene (11/9, 11/4, 12/10) Ravindu Laksiri bt. Shamil Wakeel (11/7, 11/4, 11/6) V.S. Chanithma Sinaly bt. A.N. Mendis (11/0, 11/2, 11/3)
Nadeesha K. Fernando bt. Nadhira Abeyratne (11/3, 11/6, 11/3) V.S. Chanithma Sinaly bt. Yehani Kuruppu (7/11, 6/11, 11/9, 11/8, 11/4) Sameera Deen bt. Dewmini Gallage: (11/5, 11/3, 11/5)
Dasuni Jayawickrema bt. T. Gunasekara (11/4, 11/4, 11/7) Kasuni Gunawardene bt. Sameera Deen (11/2, 11/0, 11/6) Mihiliya Methsarani bt.Fathoum Issadeen 11/6, 11/3, 11/5) Mihiliya Methsarani bt. Naduni Gunawardene (1/5, 11/4, 13/11)