Sports
Gateway College students selected for national basketball, scrabble and chess teams
Gateway College continues to shine on the national stage, with eight more students selected to represent Sri Lanka in three prestigious sports: basketball, scrabble and chess. This latest achievement follows the recent selection of nine Gateway athletes to the national squads in football, squash and athletics, further affirming the school’s commitment to a well-rounded, holistic education. These consistent successes are the result of Gateway’s thoughtful and strategic planning to unlock the full potential of every student.
In a landmark moment for Gateway College Colombo, five outstanding student-athletes have been selected to the national pool of 16 for the FIBA South Asia Basketball Association (SABA) Under-16 Men’s Championship 2025, to be held in the Maldives from 12th to 15th June. This FIBA-sanctioned event serves as a key qualifier for the FIBA U16 Asian Championship, attracting top emerging talent from the region.
The selected students are
Dulain Theverapperuma –
a seasoned player with prior appearances at the FIBA U16 Asian Championship in Doha and the 2023 SABA Qualifiers in Colombo,
Ashain Theverapperuma –
a consistent top performer across all age groups, who is the youngest in the group,
Navidu Waduwavala –
known for his strength and presence as a center and power forward,
Samuel Li Ming Tsung –
a versatile player who covers multiple positions including small forward, shooting guard, and point guard and
Jedd Dassanayaka –
a player with international experience, who has played in Australia’s State A Division REP U15 Championship and the Blackburn Vikings REP A Group in Victoria.
Adheesha Dissanayake
continues to make waves in the world of competitive Scrabble. The reigning National Champion has earned his place to represent Sri Lanka at the World English-Language Scrabble Players Association Championship (WESPAC), set to be held in Accra, Ghana, in November 2025. His selection for this global event marks a proud moment for both Gateway and Sri Lanka.
Gateway College’s chess players are also carving their names on the international circuit. Amongst them are
Yonal Sumanathilaka,
a rising star who secured a bronze medal in the Under-17 Open category at the 18th Asian Schools Chess Championship 2024 in Bangkok and
Losara Kulatunga,
who will represent Sri Lanka in the Western Asian Junior Chess Championship 2025 (Under-20 Open category) hosted in Waskaduwa from 5th to 11th June.
These achievements are a clear indication that Gateway College’s commitment to excellence—whether on the field, the board, or the court—continues to bear fruit. With structured support, dedicated coaching, and a forward-thinking ethos, the school nurtures champions who proudly carry the nation’s flag to global arenas.
The annual rugby encounter between Dharmaraja College and Kingswood College, played for the William Weerasinghe Memorial Trophy, is set to take place today (July 11, 2026), at 4:00 PM at the Bogambara Stadium, Kandy.
The official unveiling of the trophy took place this week at the Dharmaraja College premises with the participation of the Principals of the two schools, teachers-in-charge of sports, coaches, the Rugby teams, and several distinguished guests, including Dharmaraja College Old Boys’ Association President Mahesh Wijetunga, Kingswood College Old Boys’ Association President Muditha Abeykoon,
Text and Pic by SK Samaranayake
The annual rugby encounter between Dharmaraja College and Kingswood College, played for the William Weerasinghe Memorial Trophy, is set to take place tomorrow (July 11, 2026), at 4:00 PM at the Bogambara Stadium, Kandy.
The official unveiling of the trophy took place this week at the Dharmaraja College premises with the participation of the Principals of the two schools, teachers-in-charge of sports, coaches, the Rugby teams, and several distinguished guests, including Dharmaraja College Old Boys’ Association President Mahesh Wijetunga, Kingswood College Old Boys’ Association President Muditha Abeykoon,
by S K SAMARANAYAKE
Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele were on target as France surged past Morocco 2-0 to book their place in the World Cup semifinals.
Mbappe curled in his eighth goal of the tournament on 60 minutes on Thursday before Dembele doubled Les Bleus’ lead six minutes later to settle a clinical victory at the Gillette Stadium outside Boston.
The win sends the 2018 champions into a last-four showdown against either Spain or Belgium in Arlington, Texas on Tuesday.
African champions Morocco had been tipped to pose a serious threat to France’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final.
But Didier Deschamps’ men were always in control against a limited Morocco side who failed to register a single shot on goal until an 83rd-minute free-kick by Azzedine Ounahi was parried away by France goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
France, though, struggled to find a breakthrough, and missed the opportunity to take the lead on 28 minutes when Mbappe saw a penalty saved by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
Mbappe had won the penalty after being brought down by Noussair Mazraoui but was forced to wait several minutes before being allowed to take the kick after a protracted VAR check.
Morocco managed to hold out to half-time, but it was always only a matter of time before France’s relentless pressure paid off.
The breakthrough came on the hour mark, with Mbappe bending a brilliant right-foot shot past Bounou from the edge of the area.
Paris Saint-Germain star Dembele made the game safe in the 66th minute, striding forward menacingly from midfield before steering a low finish into the bottom corner.
France now await the winner of Friday’s quarterfinal in Los Angeles between European champions Spain and Belgium.
[Aljazeera]
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