Buwaneka Gunathilaka was crowned as the national champion for the second time in a row in the national badminton competition, and 17-year-old Ranithma Liyanage of Baddegama Christ Church Girls’ College was crowned as the national badminton champion.
In the open men’s singles final of the 70th National Badminton Championship, which ended on the 22nd at Sugathadasa Indoor Sports Complex, Bhuvaneka won the title by defeating Viren Neththasinghe with 21-18 and 21-16 points, and in the open women’s final with 21-8 points. And Ranithma won the women’s title by defeating Madhushika Beruwalage 21-16.
In addition to the men’s singles title, Bhuwaneka, who won the men’s open doubles title together with Sachin Dias by defeating Dumindu Abeywickrama and Ashinsa Herath with 21-16 and 21-11 scores, also won the triple championship by winning the open mixed doubles title together with Kavindi Sirimannage. In the mixed doubles final, Buthmi Galagamage and Tulith Palliaguruge lost to Buwaneka and Kavindi 21-13 and 21-15 respectively.
In addition to winning the open women’s title, Ranithma Liyanage along with Kavindi Sirimannage also won the open women’s doubles title by defeating Butmi Galagamage and Madhushika Beruwalage by 21-9 and 21-14. In addition to this, she also managed to win the under-17 girls’ singles championship in the 38th National Junior Badminton Tournament, which was held concurrently with the National Championship, defeating Ranumi Manage of Musaeus College, Colombo in the final match.
Meanwhile, in the previous championship, Kavindi Sirimannage, who qualified for the finals in all three categories of open women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles, and then withdrew from the tournament due to a leg injury, won the open mixed doubles championship with Bhuwaneka and the open women’s doubles championship claiming with Ranithma was a remarkable event.
Along with the National Championship, the 38th National Junior Badminton Championship was also held this year, where Savinaka Weerasekera of DS Senanayake College won the under-19 boys’ championship, and Rashmi Mudali of Gateway International School claimed the girls’ singles championship.
After winning the Under-17 Boys Singles Championship in the National Junior Badminton Tournament, Moratuwa Saint Sebastian College’s Pulina Wellalage and Rashmi Mudalige won the Under-19 Mixed Doubles Championship.
A group of officials including Rohan De Silva, President of Sri Lanka Badminton Institute, and a group of former players including Pam Chandrasena joined the prize-giving ceremony which was presided over by Sports Director General Amal Edirisuriya. (theleader)
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