Sri Lanka forms 43-member boxing pool after lapse of eight-years

The Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has established a 43-member national boxing pool for the first time in eight years, following the performances at the recently concluded 82nd Layton Cup Boxing Championship. This move, fulfilling a key promise made by BASL President Dr. Anuruddha Shanaka Bandara, who took office five months ago, is seen as a major step in strengthening the sport. The pool, selected by the newly appointed national selection committee headed by Abdulla Ibunu, consists of 30 men and 13 women boxers.

The majority of the boxers in the pool are from the Sri Lanka Army, but notable absentees include 33-year-old Air Force veteran Sajeewani Coorey, a multiple national champion and quarter-finalist at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Two other Air Force boxers, W.W.A.K. Thiwanka (66kg) and K.A.G.N. Kaluarachchi (75kg), an international medallist, also missed out after failing to compete in the selection process due to walkovers.

The oldest member of the pool is 37-year-old Navy boxer Gayan Indika Bandara, an international medallist, who finished as runner-up in the Light Flyweight (51kg) division to Sri Lanka’s top boxer, Police’s Umayanga Mihiran. On the other hand, 19-year-old Yazmin Usaith, a former boxer from Sri Sumangala College and St. Sylvester’s College in Kandy, is the youngest, after winning the Middleweight (75kg) title at the Layton Cup.

The 23-member national boxing pool:

The 30 men in the national boxing pool are:

48kg (Light Flyweight): T.H.N. Jinadasa (Police), D.H. Tissaaractchy (Back2Fit), H.M.L.P. Jayawardena (Army), 51kg (Flyweight): G.P.U. Mihiran (Police), A.M.G.I. Bandara (Navy), K.A.S.K. Abeygunawardena (Army), 54kg (Bantamweight): G.J.K.R. Kumara (Vidyarathana SC), P.G.E. Madushan (Air Force), R.M.P. Dharmasena (Army), 57kg (Featherweight): P.A.R. Prasanna (Army), K.H. Navodya (Navy), 60kg (Lightweight): R.M.P.K.K. Rasnayake

(Army), W.M.M. Bandara (Army), 63.5kg (Light Welterweight): H.A.H.D. Hettiarachchi (Navy), S.M.C.S. Samarakoon (Navy), 67kg (Welterweight): P.S.P.S. Fernando (Army), E.G.M.M. Jayaweera (Army), A.M.T.S. Adikari (Navy), 71kg (Light Middleweight): I.P.D.C. Udayakumara (Air Force), P.M.L.L. Chandrabandara (Army), 75kg (Middleweight): Y.M. Usaith (St. Sylvester’s BC), K.G. Pathmasiri (Army), 80kg (Light Heavyweight): J.M.I.P.P. Kumara (Army), H.W.G.P. Rathnasiri (Police), 86kg (Cruiserweight): Y.S.P. Sudamma (Army), G.W.C. de Silva (Air Force), 92kg (Heavyweight): P.A.R.S. Rupasinghe (Army), K.M.C.K. Karunanayake (Navy), and +92kg (Super Heavyweight): U.A. Avishka (Army), M.W.M.M. Meegasthenna (Air Force).

The 13 women in the pool are:

48kg (Light Flyweight): R.A.N. Pushpakumari (Vidyarathana SC), H.K.N.N. Perera (Army), 50kg (Flyweight): K.K.I.T. Perera (Air Force), S.D.D. Silva (Army), 52kg (Bantamweight): H.S. Priyadarshani (Army), P.M. Vidanagamage (Police), 54kg (Featherweight): L.I.N. Malshani (Air Force), S.H.Y.R. Fernando (Veyangoda BC), 57kg (Lightweight): K.A.K. Hansika (Vidyarathana SC), P.H.I. Wirajani (Army), and 60kg (Light Welterweight): M.P.S.S. Cooray (Air Force), M.G.M.T. Dasunika (Army), A.K.G.H. Gamage (Vidyarathana SC).

Source:Daily News