Cooray, Hansika, Saparamadu and Rathnadiwakara won their next titles in the Sri Lankan National Sports Festival

Following the Layton Cup and the traditional Clifford Cup the Sri Lankan National Sports Festival for the elite women and men boxers was held in the historical city of Polonnaruwa. Muthuthanthri Sajeewani Cooray won four-in-a-row national title before Keshani Kasthuri Hansika, Dinidu Dushan Saparamadu and Lahiru Tharanga Rathnadiwakara dominated their final fights.
Polonnaruwa was previously the capital city of Sri Lanka in the Middle Ages and it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. The Boxing Association of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan sports organizations decided to move the competition into a historical place and to raise the popularity of boxing in the regions.
The Sri Lankans attended in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games this year with six boxers on both events. Their female boxers have been preparing to the upcoming AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and together with their best male hopes also to the 2019 South Asian Games which will be taking place in Kathmandu, Nepal next March.
R.K.A.A. Ranasingha was silver medallist in the Clifford Cup at the women’s light flyweight (48kg) but this time she was able to beat an international level boxer Commonwealth Games competitor Kaluhath Gimhani De Silva in the final of the National Sports Festival. Nadeeka Pushpakumari achieved bronze medal at the women’s light flyweight (48kg) in the Clifford Cup a few weeks ago and moved up to the flyweight (51kg) where she claimed the gold in Polonnaruwa.
Another top favourite Muthuthanthri Sajeewani Cooray claimed the gold medals in the last edition of the Layton Cup, Clifford Cup and Sri Lankan Women’s National Championships therefore she was confident in all of her contests in Polonnaruwa. The 28-year-old bantamweight (54kg) boxer defeated her main rival Sewandhi Thalgaspitiya in the quarter-final and following that success she dominated her fights.
Keshani Kasthuri Hansika attended in the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and many other international events therefore she was too strong for all of her rivals at the women’s lightweight (60kg). H.M.K.G.L. Udayangani claimed the last gold woman gold medal in the National Sports Festival after beating M.G.M. Dasunika at the middleweight (75kg).
The first gold medal in the men competition was achieved by W.A. Ishanka Sanjaya who reached one of his career highlights to get the title of the light flyweight (49kg). Air Force’s P.G.E. Madushan was silver medallist in the Clifford Cup but this time he defeated his main rivals such as Jeewan Kumara and Sanjeewa Nuwan at the flyweight (52kg).
An experienced Army boxer Ruwan Thilina Weerakoddi, who attended already in the Baku 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships, and claimed silver medal in the 2016 South Asian Games, returned in the national level in the recent months. The bantamweight (56kg) boxer took the titles of the Layton Cup and the Clifford Cup and he was slightly better in the final of the National Sports Festival than Sadaruwan Kumara.
A lightweight (60kg) prospect Athuwulage Kasun Maduranga claimed medals in the national events but his gold at the National Sports Festival was his best results in 2018. Dinidu Dushan Saparamadu of Slimline is the best Sri Lankan man boxer who qualified for the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships and he is member of the national team since 2014. The 26-year-old Saparamadu dominated his final fight against Udaya Kumara and won the gold of the light welterweight (64kg).
Among the Sri Lankan veterans Mohamed Younus Dilshan and Commonwealth Games competitor Gallage Ajith Nevil Fernando both won the titles in the National Sports Festival. Doha International Tournament silver medallist Lahiru Tharanga Rathnadiwakara of Slimline proved his strength in the final of the super heavyweight (+91kg) against A.M.I.H. Abeysinghe and won his next national title in Polonnaruwa.

List of the winners in the Sri Lankan National Sports Festival
Women’s 48kg: R.K.A.A. Ranasinghe
Women’s 51kg: Nadeeka Pushpakumari
Women’s 54kg: Muthuthanthri Sajeewani Cooray
Women’s 60kg: Keshani Kasthuri Hansika
Women’s 75kg: H.M.K.G.L. Udayangani
Men’s 49kg: W.A. Ishanka Sanjaya
Men’s 52kg: P. Gamage E. Madushan
Men’s 56kg: Ruwan Thilina Weerakoddi
Men’s 60kg: Athuwulage Kasun Maduranga
Men’s 64kg: Dinidu Dushan Saparamadu
Men’s 69kg: Mohamed Younus Dilshan
Men’s 75kg: A.P.L.A. Jayalath
Men’s 81kg: W.A.R. Sadakalum
Men’s 91kg: Gallage Ajith Nevil Fernando
Men’s +91kg: Lahiru Tharanga Rathnadiwakara

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