Sri Lanka sends a record 13 boxers to Asian Championships

Sri Lanka is ready to make history with its largest-ever contingent of 13 boxers competing at the ASBC Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships, scheduled to begin on November 28 in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Among the women, Nadeeka Pushpakumari, a 12-year veteran, is Sri Lanka’s top medal hope in the minimumweight (48kg) category. Joining her is Ishara Thushari Perera, a light flyweight (50kg) competitor with multiple national titles to her name.

Making her international debut is Sanduni Priyadarshani at flyweight (52kg), while the experienced Kasthuri Arachchige Keshani Hansika, who recently recovered from injuries to win the Layton Cup, will represent Sri Lanka in the featherweight (57kg).

In the men’s category, Hasitha Nuwan Jinadasa, named Best Boxer at the Layton Cup, will showcase his skills in the minimumweight (48kg). The team’s standout contender is Umayanga Mihiran at flyweight (51kg), a rising star who narrowly missed out on Paris 2024 Olympic qualification.

Other key members include Podi Arachchige Rukmal Prasanna (57kg), a Commonwealth Games quarter-finalist, and Suranga Fernando (67kg) and Chinthana Udayakumara (71kg), both gold medallists at the Seychelles Independence Day Cup.

The youngest participant, Yazmin Muhammad Usaith, a middleweight (75kg) boxer from St. Sylvester’s Boxing Club, is eager to prove his mettle in his first major international tournament.

Under the leadership of Major General Arosha Rajapaksha, Chairman of Army Boxing, and the expertise of seasoned coaches Amila Aravinda Tissers Sajeewa Dassanayake, Chandana Kumara, and Sameera Karunarathne, the team aims to build on its recent successes in Seychelles, Chinese Taipei, and the UAE.

“This championship is not just about medals; it’s a critical step in our preparations for the 2026 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games,” said President of Boxing Association of Sri Lanka, Dr Anuruddha Bandara, emphasizing the long-term goals.

Sri Lanka will compete in 13 out of 25 weight categories, facing boxers from developing boxing nations like Bangladesh, Yemen, and Palestine. Expectations are high for Umayanga Mihiran and Rukmal Prasanna, both of whom have proven themselves at international levels.

Sri Lanka’s Tour Squad 

Men’s team:  

48kg: T.H.N. Jinadasa (Police), 51kg: G.P.U. Mihiran (Police) 54kg: G.J.K.R. Kumara (Vidyarathana SC) 57kg: P.A.R. Prasanna (Army) 63.5kg: H.A.H.D. Hettiarachchi (Navy)

67kg: P.S.P.S. Fernando (Army) 71kg: I.P.D.C. Udayakumara (Air Force) 75kg: Y.M. Usaith (St. Sylvester’s BC) 86kg: Y.S.P. Sudamma (Army)

Women’s team:  

48kg: R.A.N. Pushpakumari (Vidyarathana SC) 50kg: K.K.I.T. Perera (Air Force) 52kg: H.S. Priyadarshani (Army) 57kg: K.A.K. Hansika (Vidyarathana SC)

Source:Daily News