The Sri Lankan athletes managed to win both team titles in the South Asian Under-15 and Under-17 Regional Junior Badminton Championships.
The tournament was held at the Pakistan Sports complex in Islamabad. The Junior Shutlers who participated in 3 matches in the Under-15 and Under-17 team championships, won all three of the matches to clinch the titles. The Championship was organized by the Asian Badminton Association and hosted by the Pakistan Badminton Federation.
In the under-15 age category, young Lankans participated in the boys and girls singles, boys and girls doubles and mixed doubles where they beat Nepal by 5-0, Pakistan by 4-1 and Maldives by 5-0.
In the under 17 age category, young Lankans participated in the boys and girls singles, boys and girls doubles and mixed doubles categories, where they beat Nepal by 5-0, Pakistan by 5-0 and Maldives by 5-0 to win the team championship in that age group.
Amawan Edirisinghe and Ayansa de Silva represented Sri Lanka in the singles matches in the under-15 age category at the championship. Amavan Edirisinghe and Chenal Dewshan Madapathage played the boys’ doubles, Thenuki Ayansa de Silva and Benuri Jananga Vidyathilaka played the girls’ doubles while Amawan Edirisinghe and Thenuki Ayansa de Silva played the mixed doubles match in the same age group.
Thejana Herath and Nethmi Ratnayake represented Sri Lanka in the under-17 boys and girls singles matches in the tournament. Meanwhile, Thejana Herath and Mihila Jayaweera played the boys’ doubles match, Nethmi Ratnayake and Lukshana Kumar played the girls’ doubles match and Nethmi Ratnayake paired up with Mihila Jayaweera to play mixed doubles in the same age category.
Apart from the 8 junior shuttlers, the support staff included Coach Rajitha Dahanayake, assistant coach Iresh Madhuranga de Silva and the officer in charge of the shuttlers Miss Tharanga Wimalasuriya.
