Sports
Thenuwan, Chathuni best boxers as St. Sylvester’s win fourth consecutive Stubbs Shield
St Sylvester’s College, Kandy with the Stubbs Shield.
Front row: BGD Piyathilaka, TMRL Thennakoon, TMCL Thennakoon, SGM Azhar, JMT Deshan, KGSK Heshan ,SPP Angelo.
Back row – PGCM Kumara, S. Nawarathne (St Sylvester’s Boxing Union), S. Sivaneshan (Master in Charge), TBJG Bandara (Head Coach), AGVH Jayasinghe, T. Pallekumbura (St Sylvester’s Boxing Union), M. Ilham (St Sylvester’s Boxing Union)
Thenuwan Bandara Meegalla of Royal College, Colombo and Chathuni Jagathya Siriwardena of Hemamali Girls College, Kandy clinched the best boxer titles in the boys’ and girls’ categories respectively as St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy clinched the team title for the fourth consecutive year in the 105th Stubbs Shield Inter-School Boxing Championship concluded at the Royal MAS Arena.
It was the 18th time the school from Kandy bagged the championship title as they won four golds and two silvers in the finals.
Royal College, Colombo claimed the runner-up position with three golds, three silvers, and a bronze. Thenuwan Bandara Meegalla, Royal’s captain and Taipei City Cup gold medalist, was awarded the prestigious Col. T.Y. Wright Challenge Cup for his technical prowess in the senior boys division.
In the Girls’ division, Siri Perakum Vidyalaya, Kotagala emerged champions winning three gold medals and one silver, while Sri Pragnarathne Central College, Gelioya earned runner-up position with three golds and three bronzes. Chathuni Jagathya Siriwardena of Hemamali Girls College, Kandy, received the Best Boxer award in the Senior Girls 48kg category displaying good ring craft and excellence to outpoint MKM Muthuni of Dharmaloka College, Pelmadulla.
Organized as part of the All Island National School Games by the Education Ministry and Schools Boxing Association, this year’s event saw nearly 500 boxers from 132 schools competing across 36 weight classes. With six finalists, two more than Royal, St. Sylvester’s were clear frontrunners from the outset.
Royal and St Sylvester’s began the finals on an inauspicious note when Ahsan Ahmedh (52kg) and TMRL Thennakoon (56kg) respectively suffered losses in the Youth Boys category to Nilusha Deshan Thathsara and Lokumanage Deshan Thathsara of Nalanda College, Colombo.
Mohamad Azhar (Youth Boy 69kg) won a tough duel against LDD Rashmika of Dombagoda Seelarathana MV by unanimous points decision to win the first gold medal for St Sylvester’s.
When the business end of the tournament began with the Senior Boys contests, St Sylvester’s suffered another setback when favourite and Novices Best Boxer SPP Angelo (52kg) was out of sorts against Ryan Nirmal Weerasekera of Trinity College, Kandy with his corner throwing in the towel in the third round. Weerasekera displayed superb technique and ring craft unleashing crisp combinations to dominate the contest.
St. Sylvester’s sealed their victory with Sadun Kavishka Heshan’s unanimous win (60kg), along with impressive performances by Deshan Jayasundara (64kg) and Vimarshana Heshan Jayasinghe (69kg), a 2023 youth international gold medalist.
Girls’ Best Boxer Chathuni Jagathya Siriwardena of Hemamali Girls College, Kandy (L) / Boys’ Best Boxer Thenuwan Bandara Meegalla of Royal College, Colombo. (R)
St. Sylvester’s remarkable showing underscores their reign in school boxing, firmly holding the Stubbs Shield for another year.
Royal’s heavyweights, Kandegedara Mudiyanselage Malith Bandara (75kg) and Sahan Perera (81kg), secured wins in their divisions, helping Royal secure the second spot.
The Girls’ division saw standout performances from Northern Province boxers Loganathan Kagenthiny of Poonthodam Vidyalam, Vavuniya, and Zithayakumar Kerthana of Gamini National School, Vavuniya, while GGNA Gimhani of Sri Pragnarathne Central College, Geli Oya scored an upset in the Youth Girls category, defeating Punsara Thiththagala of Hemamali Girls College.
In the Juniors Girls category, MDCS Mayadunne (50kg) of Prajapathi Girls College, Horana was at the receiving end of a contentious points decision against TDI Madushani of Siri Perakum Vidyalaya, Kotagala.
However, SMN Miloniya (46kg) and UB Sonali (48kg) were convincing winners for the school from Nuwara Eliya.
In a bold stride towards sporting excellence, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) unveiled a state-of-the-art swimming pool at the National High Performance Center, located within the iconic R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.
The eight-lane, semi-Olympic standard facility was ceremonially declared open by the Honorable Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Sunil Kumara Gamage, at the invitation of SLC President Shammi Silva. SLC’s Ex-Co members too were present at the occasion alongside former Test captain and current Head Coach Sanath Jayasuriya.
National women’s team captain Chamari Atapattu and her teammates also marked their presence, signaling the pool’s immediate value to elite athletes.
Spanning 25 meters in length and 21 meters in width, with a depth between 1.2 and 1.8 meters, the new pool is a cornerstone of SLC’s ambitious National Pathway Program.
It aims to bolster player fitness, post-match recovery, and injury rehabilitation for the National, ‘A’ team, and the fast and spin bowling squads. Visiting international teams will also have access to the facility during Sri Lanka tours.
Fully equipped with modern changing rooms, first aid units, and athlete support amenities, the new aquatic addition is more than just a pool — it’s a symbol of SLC’s commitment to building a holistic, world-class training environment.
The High Performance Center already boasts a full gymnasium, an international-standard cricket ground, under-lights training facilities, a dedicated physiotherapy wing, and the acclaimed Brain Center for data-driven performance analysis.
Coming soon in Phase Two: a Jacuzzi, an ice bath, and a new indoor net complex — all part of Sri Lanka Cricket’s drive to stay ahead of the curve in global cricketing infrastructure.
The Grade A category Colombo Championships, which is the oldest tennis tournament of the country, gets underway for the 110th time on April 25 at the SLTA (playing section) courts at Green Path. The tournament has attracted a record number of participants which include the cream of Sri Lankan tennis players.
The title sponsor of the tournament is eye care provider ‘Vision Care’. In addition, this year it is also Co-sponsored by ‘Thambapanni Leisure’. Events ranging from juniors (Boys/Girls- under 12 to 18), men’s, women’s and veterans (for over 35, 45, 55 and 65) are being held, giving every segment of the tennis playing community an opportunity to participate.
Making his title sponsorship commitment, Janaka Fonseka, Managing Director of Vision Care said “we are very happy to be involved in this prestigious tournament for over a decade. We believe sport is vital for the health of the nation and are strongly committed to supporting the Colombo Championships. The objective of the tournament is in line with our corporate objectives and as such we want to be part of this wonderful event.
Sria Munasinghe, President of the SLTA Playing Section said “I would like to place on record my utmost appreciation of all the sponsors specially Vision Care for unstinted support during the last ten years and the Managing Director of Thambapanni Leisure Prashanth Dissanayake and others who wish to remain anonymous”. The organisers have received 1200 entries for this tournament.
Rain had a major say on the third day’s play of the Sylhet Test. Bangladesh moved to 194 for 4 before play was called off at 5pm local time due to bad light, although play could be extended up to 6pm after rain had washed out the first three hours of the day.
The hosts could bat for only 44 overs. They lost three wickets, and added 137 runs. Captain Najimul Hossain Shanto, who went unbeaten on 60, reached his half-century during a rearguard fifth-wicket partnership with Jaker Ali.
It was Blessing Muzarabani who rocked Bangladesh within the first hour after play started on the third afternoon. He bowled with a slower run-up but often brought up his pace with the short deliveries. Muzarabani tested Mahmudul Hasan Joy with the short ball a few times, before the Bangladesh opener fended one to first slip. Mahmudul made 33 off 65 balls with six boundaries, stretching his lean run of form. He has now played 17 innings without a half-century, the last one coming in Sylhet in November 2023.
Meanwhile, Shanto got the ball rolling with some confident shots, before he edged one off Wessly Madhevere when on 26. For the second time in the game though, wicketkeeper Nyasha Mayavo dropped a sitter.
The third-wicket stand between Shanto and Mominul Haque kept Bangladesh stable, but once again, it was the short ball that rocked Bangladesh. Victor Nyauchi got one to rear up at Mominul, who had little room to move out of the way once he had committed to it. Thankfully for Zimbabwe, though, Mayavo held on to the chance.
Shanto and Mominul had added 65 for the third wicket. Mominul made 47 off 86 balls to go with his half-century in the first innings.
Captain Craig Ervine then brought back Muzarabani to bowl at Mushfiqur Rahim closer to the tea interval. He bowled nine dot balls in a row to Mushfiqur before finding the outside edge with the tenth delivery. Ervine completed the catch at first slip as Bangladesh were reduced to 155 for 4 at tea.
Shanto reached his fifty shortly afterwards with a rousing cover drive off Wellington Masakadza. His fifth-wicket partnership with Jaker is increasingly looking like Bangladesh’s last resort to stay competitive in the game.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 191 in 61 overs and 194 for 4 in 57 overs (Najimul Hossain Shanto 60*, Jaker Ali 21*, Mahmudul Hassan Joy 33, Monimul Haque 47; Blessing Muzarabani 3-51) lead Zimbabwe 273 in 80.2 overs (Sean Williams 59, Brian Bennett 57, Mehidy Hassan Miraz 5-52) by 112 runs
[Cricinfo]
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