Hansika and Pushpakumari dominated their women’s finals at the 94th Sri Lankan Clifford Cup
Keshani Hansika and Nadeeka Pushpakumari amazed in the women’s finals at the 94th Clifford Cup in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka.
This is the 94th edition in Sri Lanka which made the Clifford Cup one of the oldest Asian boxing competitions. The number of the participants were 140 among the youth and 115 in the elite part of the Clifford Cup including 75 women.
Air Force’s Muthuthanthri P.S. Sajeewani Cooray is a veteran 34-year-old boxer in the national team who moved up to the women’s lightweight (60kg) and she was the favourite in the final against M.G.M.T. Dhanusika. Cooray controlled the first round, she had the better technical skills but Dhanusika did not give up the final and she made an amazing finish in the third. The more experienced Cooray had only difficulties in the third round and she won a tight contest in Kandy.
K.K. Ishara Thushari Perera represented Sri Lanka at the recent ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Chiang Mai and she used her longer reach against S.H.S.R. Fernando at the women’s light flyweight (50kg) final. Fernando was brave in the attacks and she defeated the national team member with excellent performance in the second and third rounds.
Army’s H. Sanduni Priyadarshani is also member of the women’s elite national team and she had good defense in the first round against H.H.R. Himasha at the flyweight (52kg) final. She landed two tough punches in the opening round and she finished the job in the second with heavy shots.
Air Force’s Lokuge Ishara Nishadi Malshani has international experiences from various events and she earned a bronze medal at the 2022 ASBC Asian U22 Boxing Championships. Malshani moved up to the bantamweight (54kg) this year and she worked from longer distance against B.A. Nethmini and she won the final by large margin of difference.
Keshani Hansika is the most experienced Sri Lankan female boxer who returned to the squad after a short break this year. The 33-year-old boxer destroyed her opponent, P.H.I. Wirajini’s defense in the first minute and she landed her tough punches whenever she wanted. The Asian Games and Commonwealth Games competitor Hansika was too strong for Wirajini and the referee confirmed her RSC success in the second round. Vidyarathna Sports Club’s R.A. Nadeeka Pushpakumari is another top national team member in Sri Lanka and she proved her power superiority against A.G.H.D. Premasiri at the women’s minimumweight (48kg) final. She caught her opponent with multiple punches and Premasiri’s ringside abandoned the unequal contest in the first round.
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