Sports

Anjana urges support for Lucky Six after historic win

Published

4 years ago

2020/10/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

President’s Challenge Cup Volleyball

by Reemus Fernando

Lucky Six SC, Pothupitiya beat many an odd to record a rare championship victory at the President’s Challenge Cup Volleyball tournament recently. High attacker Anjana Sandeepana who played a vital role in the team’s historic achievement believes that the outfit playing without proper facilities richly deserve a break now.

“What we achieved at the President’s Challenge Cup is remarkable in many ways. It is the first time in my lifetime that this club accomplished such a feat. The team we met in the final were from a volleyball stronghold. Beating them in a final was a dream come true,” said the 24-year old Sandeepana in an interview with the Sunday Island. Sandeepana was adjudged the Best Player of the final.

Sandeepana who stands at six foot two inches said that it was his first victory at national level as he had not won a championship even as as a schools spiker. The furthest his school team had gone was to win at provincial level.

While the champion teams of each district played in the President’s Gold Cup tournament this year, the runners up teams of each district were drawn in the President’s Challenge Cup. After edging out formidable teams to reach the final, Lucky Six stunned Nattandiya United consisting of former and present national players to clinch the title which was their first top level trophy in 36 years. Lucky Six last won a national title in 1984 when they won the ‘D’ Division championship.

“We don’t have a ground of our own. We use the court at Puthupitiya MV for training. The team needs support if we are to make it to the next level,” said Sandeepana.

The corporation between Puthupitiya MV and Lucky Six has helped both institutions. While the club has been able to use the school’s court, the up and coming spikers of the school have benefited from the volleyball culture the Lucky Six brings to the venue, according to former official of Lucky Six, Kanthasiri Meegamuwage, who is also an In Service Adviser- Sports of the Panadura Education Division.

“When the school does not have balls they use the balls of the Club and vice versa,” said Meegamuwage.

According to Sandeepana the Covid 19 pandemic had affected all teams and no team had an advantage with regard to training. He said the team had trained as one unit only for a few days and had no resources to acquire the service of a professional coach. However, Lasantha Abeyratne a former player, who volunteered to train the team proved to be the ideal pick as some of his decisions helped them at crucial junctures to outsmart the team from volleyball stronghold Nattandiya which had the support of a professional coach.

Nattandiya United were trying to make a comeback in the fourth set after trailing 2-1. They were about to secure the fourth set when Abeyratne brought Isuru Dilshan to serve. It proved a master stroke as the youngster won four consecutive points for them with his serve to secure the set 27-25 and seal the game.

Sandeepana in his interview thanked all his team members and officials who helped them and urged individuals and institutions who support the national sport to provide patronage to sustain as a formidable team.

Team:

Nuwan Kumara (Captain), Ashan Malaka, Sumudu Lahiru, Tharaka Ravindra, Buddhi Nishan, Harshaka Silva, Chalitha Amarawansa, Pasindu Theekshana, Isuru Dilshan, Ashen Malshan, Ashan Malintha, Sadeepa Lakshan, Sampath Ruberu.

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Sports

Sri Lanka to host India, Philippines, Maldives at Relay Championships in April

Published

4 hours ago

2025/03/19

Sahan Weerasooriya

Aruna Dharshana(in the picture) is expected to join Kalinga Kumarage, S.B.R. Madushan and Sadew Rajakaruna to form Sri Lanka's 4x400 metres relay team in April.

by Reemus Fernando

Sri Lanka Athletics has invited India, the Philippines and the Maldives for next month’s Relay Championships conducted by Sri Lanka Schools Athletics Association in a bid to provide the men’s 4×400 metres relay quartet with a chance to reach qualifying standards for the World Relays.

Currently Sri Lanka men’s 4×400 metres relay team is within the required ranking position to compete at the prestigious World Relays taking place in Guangzhou, China. The 3:04.48 seconds finish to win the gold medal of the men’s 4×400 metres at the Asian Relays in May last year has placed Sri Lanka in the 31st position in the ‘Road to Guangzhou’ rankings.

But with many competitions coming up within the next couple of months Sri Lanka Athletics wants to leave no stone unturned in their quest to keep the ranking position within the qualifying range.

The teams in the first 32 positions according to the times produced within the qualifying period (January 1, 2024 to April 13, 2025) become eligible for the World Relays taking place on May 10 and 11 in Guangzhou.

Sri Lanka’s chances of improving the current standings (31st) at this week’s World Indoor Championship in China are minimal as Olympian Aruna Dharshana, who is the fastest of the current crop of athletes will not be available for the event.

Dharshana is currently training and competing in Australia. He is looking forward to reach qualifying standards or reach the required ranking position for World Championships in the 400 metres.

The World Athletics has set a tough standard of 44.85 seconds for the men’s 400 metres. While only 17 are selected through direct qualifying standards, 31 athletes are selected through rankings for the 400 metres. Dharshana is yet yo enter rankings to be eligible for the World Championships.

Sri Lanka Athletics will field Dharshana, Kalinga Kumarage, S.B.R. Madushan and Sadew Rajakaruna for the relay event in April.

Sports

Air Force, Navy win Defence Services beach volleyball titles

Published

4 hours ago

2025/03/19

Sahan Weerasooriya

Defence Services Beach Volleyball Championship 2025 was held from March 12 to 14 at the SLAF beach volleyball courts, Katunayake. During the finals SLAF Men’s team defeated SL Army (2-0) while the SL Navy Women’s team defeated SLAF Women’s team (2-0). Incidentally is the seventh Defence Services Beach Volleyball title won by the SLAF Men’s Team.

Base Commander SLAF Base Katunayake AVM Dhammika Dias graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Chairman of SLAF Volleyball, Group Captain Milinda Mendis, Senior Officers from SL Army and Navy were also present for the finals.

Sports

Entries open for Summer Season Badminton Championship 2025

Published

4 hours ago

2025/03/19

Sahan Weerasooriya

The Central Province Badminton Association (CPBA) is now accepting entries for one of Sri Lanka’s most anticipated badminton competitions, the Summer Season All-Island Open Championships 2025, which will be staged at the Municipal Council Indoor Stadium in Nuwara Eliya from April 21 to 27.

The highly followed seven-day annual badminton tournament, held during the Nuwara Eliya April Holiday Season, is known to attract Sri Lanka’s top ranked shuttlers. The National Ranking Level 1 competition, sanctioned by Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB), is one of the key sporting attractions of Nuwara Eliya during April every year, known to generate increasing public interest.

The championship will feature a wide range of events from Under-11 to Under-19 in the Junior category and Over-30 to Over-70 in the Senior category, with an addition of three Combined Age segment of 100+. The main attraction of the competition will be the Open events comprising Men’s and Women’s Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles, with an addition of a Plate Championship for the losers in Men’s and Women’s Singles.

The opening ceremony will take place on April 21st at 9:00am, followed by the preliminary rounds, leading up to the climax on April 26 with the quarter-finals and semi-finals. The excitement will continue on April 27 with the highly anticipated semi-finals and final matches, followed by the Closing Ceremony to mark the culmination of this championship.

The main draw seeding will be determined based on SLB Ranking as of April 13, followed by the draw on April 16 at 11:00am at No.2, Cambridge Terrace, Colombo 7. Entries will close on April 10 at noon. Entries can be submitted online or by contacting Sadeesha Adithya on 0761759017 and further details of the tournament are available in the prospectus published in the SLB website.

A total prize money of Rs.750,000 for all events based on the number of entries will be on offer, in addition to trophies, medals and certificates guaranteed for winners, runners-up and semi-finalists of each event of the tournament. Junior winners will receive appropriate gifts instead of prize money, according to a decision taken by the tournament organisers. The tournament is sponsored by Mobil, Li Ning, McFoil, 3M and GAC.