A contingent 21, which includes 15 players and 6 officials, will leave for China to represent Sri Lanka at the upcoming Yonex BWF World Junior Championships 2024 to be held at the Nanchang International Sports Centre in Jiangxi, China. The Sri Lankan shuttlers, which includes eight girts and seven boys, will be featured in a series of two tournaments – the Yonex BWF World Junior Team Championship for Suhandinata Cup and the Yonex BWF World Junior Championship for Eye Level Cup during September 30 to October 13, and a three-day Training Prorgramme prior to the tournament.
The Sri Lanka Junior Teams, led by Ranithma Liyanage and Shenuk Samararatne, will initially participate at the Olympic Solidarity Youth Athletic Development Programme – World Junior Championship 2024 from September 26 to 28 before they enter the competitions.
The Yonex BWF World Junior Team Championship for the Suhandinata Cup will be held through September 30 to October 5, followed by the Yonex BWF World Junior Championship for Eye Level Cup, which will be conducted from October 7 to 13. Both these competitions and the three-day Olympic Solidarity Youth Athletic Development Programme will be held at the Nanchang International Sports Centre in Jiangxi, Nanchang, situated approximately 1430 kimometres south from China’s capital, Beijing.
The Sri Lanka Junior boy’s led by Shenuk Samararatne, includes Thilina Rajakarune, Thidasa Weragoda, Achinthya Madapathage, Pasindu Mihiranga, Sanjula Handapangodage and Pamith Attanayake. The Ranithma Liyanage led eight-member Sri Lanka Junior girls’ team is formed by Sithuli Ranasinghe, Rashmi Bhagya Mudalige, Varangana Jayawardena, Dilini Ambalangodage, Sandathi Hewagallage, Isuri Attanayake and Sithumi Minara de Silva.
Officials accompanying the teams are Sahan Deelaka and Duminda Nirashana as Coaches, and Asanga Wijesundera as Team Manager, Ms. Sumithra Dissanayake, Buddhika de Silva and Ms. Vijayalakshmi Punchihewa as Team Officials.
The dual Grade I competitions, organised by the Chinese Badminton Association (CBA) on behalf of Badminton World Federation (BWF), will see a total of 40 countries competing under eight different groups. Sri Lanka has been slotted alongside world badminton heavyweights Indonesia, Poland, Northern Marianas and Macau China in Group ‘F’. The Group ‘A’ includes hosts China, South Korea, Australia, Hong Kong China and Ghana, while France Chinese Taipei, Singapore, Slovakia and Armenia form he Group ‘B’.
Malaysia, Netherlands, Estonia, Norway and Mongolia form the Group ‘C’ as the UAE, Denmark, New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago and Cook Islands are included into Group ‘D’. Group ‘E’ includes India, Turkiye (Turkey), Mauritius, Peru and Azerbaijan while Japan, Slovenia, England, Uganda and Latvia compete under Group ‘G’. Thailand, USA, Portugal, Vietnam and the Philippines form Group ‘H;’ to complete the number of 40 teams participating.