Ranithma, Shenuk lead Sri Lanka at World Junior Badminton Championships in China

A contingent of 21, inclusive of 15 players and six officials, will represent Sri Lanka at the upcoming Yonex BWF World Junior Championships 2024 to be held at the Nanchang International Sports Centre in Jiangxi, China. The Sri Lankan shuttlers, inclusive of eight girls and seven boys, will feature in two tournaments – the Yonex BWF World Junior Team Championship for the Suhandinata Cup and the Yonex BWF World Junior Championship for Eye Level Cup from September 30 to October 13, and a three-day Training Prorgramme prior to the tournament.

The teams, led by Ranithma Liyanage and Shenuk Samararatne, will initially participate at the Olympic Solidarity Youth Athletic Development Programme – World Junior Championship 2024 from September 26 to 28 before they enter the competitions.

The Yonex BWF World Junior Team Championship for the Suhandinata Cup will be held through September 30 to October 5, followed by the Yonex BWF World Junior Championship for the Eye Level Cup, which will be conducted from October 7 to 13. Both these competitions and the three-day Olympic Solidarity Youth Athletic Development Programme will be held at the Nanchang International Sports Centre in Jiangxi, Nanchang, situated approximately 1430 kimometres south from China’s capital, Beijing.

The Sri Lanka Junior boys led by Shenuk Samararatne, includes Thilina Rajakarune, Thidasa Weragoda, Achinthya Madapathage, Pasindu Mihiranga, Sanjula Handapangodage and Pamith Attanayake. The Ranithma Liyanage led eight-member Sri Lanka Junior girls’ team is formed by Sithuli Ranasinghe, Rashmi Bhagya Mudalige, Varangana Jayawardena, Dilini Ambalangodage, Sandathi Hewagallage, Isuri Attanayake and Sithumi Minara de Silva.

Officials accompanying the teams are Sahan Deelaka and Duminda Nirashana as coaches, and Asanga Wijesundera as Team Manager, Ms. Sumithra Dissanayake, Buddhika de Silva and Ms. Vijayalakshmi Punchihewa as team officials.

The dual Grade I competitions, organised by the Chinese Badminton Association (CBA) on behalf of Badminton World Federation (BWF), will see a total of 40 countries competing under eight different groups. Sri Lanka have been slotted alongside world badminton heavyweights Indonesia, Poland, Northern Marianas and Macau China in Group ‘F’. The Group ‘A’ includes hosts China, South Korea, Australia, Hong Kong China and Ghana, while France, Chinese Taipei, Singapore, Slovakia and Armenia form Group ‘B’.

Malaysia, Netherlands, Estonia, Norway and Mongolia form the Group ‘C’ as the UAE, Denmark, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago and Cook Islands are included in Group ‘D’. Group ‘E’ includes India, Turkey, Mauritius, Peru and Azerbaijan while Japan, Slovenia, England, Uganda and Latvia compete under Group ‘G’. Thailand, USA, Portugal, Vietnam and the Philippines form Group ‘H;’ to complete the number of 40 teams participating.