Army boxers twisted a dominant performance winning nine Gold Medals in the Men’s competition to emerge champions at the BASL Clifford Cup Boxing Championship at Sahas Uyana in Kandy on Sunday.
They also gained two Silver and two Bronze Medals, winning a total of 13 medals.
This major year-end tournament was successfully organised by the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) along with the Youth Championship amidst much pomp and spectacle for the first time in an outdoor venue in Kandy.
The attendance of a leading IBA (International Boxing Association) official John Waith to conduct a 1-star Referee and Judge course for local officials added significance to the event.
Olympian and Deputy Sports Minister Sugath Thillakaratne was the Chief Guest at the finals.
Southpaw Suranga Fernando of Army who defeated Navy’s A. M. T. S. Adikari in the welterweight (67kg) was adjudged the Best Boxer (Men).
Sachini Fernando, who scored an upset win over Sri Lanka Boxer K. K. I. T. Perera of Air Force in the light flyweight (50kg) final, was adjudged as the Best Boxer (Women).
K. A. S. K. Abeygunawardena scored an upset win over veteran Navy Boxer A. M. G. I. Bandara to clinch the flyweight (51kg) title.
P. P. S. Siriwardhana won the heavily contested light welterweight (63.5kg) title.
P. M. L. L. Chandrabandara scored a stunning technical knock-out win over international Gold Medallist Chinthana Udayakumara of Air Force, winning the thrilling light middleweight (71kg) title.
The other winners for Army were Rukmal Prasanna (57kg), R. M. P. K. K. Rasnayake (60kg), Y. S. P. Sudamma (86kg), P. A. R. S. Rupasinghe (92kg) and U. A. Avishka (92+kg).
Meanwhile, Air Force Kafir emerged Women’s champions winning a total of eight medals comprising four Gold, three Silver and one Bronze Medal.
Army Women’s Boxing Team won a total of eight medals comprising two Gold, four Silver and two Bronze Medals to become runners-up
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