St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy and Hemamali Girls’ College, Kandy signed off as overall winners at the All Island National School Games (NSG) boxing meet held under the aegis of the Ministry of Education at the Royal MAS Arena, Colombo.
The Sylvestrians finalised four golds, one silver, and two bronze medals, edging out Royal College, Colombo, who secured the runner-up spot with three golds, two silvers and one bronze.
Royalist Vimuth Hettiarachchi was familiar for his polished technique, claiming the TT Wright Challenge Trophy for the Most Scientific Boxer in the senior boys’ division.
In the girls’ category, Hemamali conquered with five golds and one silver, leaving Seelarathana MV Dombagoda as runners-up with two golds.
Nikesala Sandeepani earned the Best Boxer award in the senior girls’ division after a split-decision victory over Hemamali’s RMGS Ratnayake in a hard-fought final.
In spite of the victories in the ring, controversy overshadowed the meet. Though the Schools Boxing Association had billed the event as the prestigious Stubbs Shield tournament, Ministry officials initially ruled that the century-old trophy would not be awarded to the champion boys’ school.
Succeeding strong protests from the boxing fraternity, organisers eventually relented, presenting both the Ministry’s trophies and the traditional challenge cups.
This elevated serious concerns within the boxing community over the Shield’s diminishing status. Once regarded as the blue riband of schoolboy boxing, the Stubbs Shield is now being increasingly diluted within the framework of the NSG.
Prabath Indika, Deputy Director of Education (Physical Education & Sports), acknowledged both the historic importance of the Shield and the need for change:
“The Stubbs Shield is different. It has a legacy, it has a history. The officers and administrators, both from schools and from the National Association for Boxing, must secure this legacy.
“My recommendation is simple — please separates the Stubbs Shield from the National School Games. This is a unique event that deserves prestige, private sector sustenance and glamour. Right now, it is just another NSG event run on public money and that is unfair to its history,” said Indika.
He strained that the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka must take greater responsibility: “The only fault lies with them. They have been unfair to Stubbs. My appeal is: promote this, don’t demote it.”
On the sporting front, the tournament was a personal victory for veteran coach Jamitha Gayan Bandara, who guided both St. Sylvester’s and Hemamali to historic victories. The Sylvestrians not only retained the Shield for the third consecutive year but also equalled Royal’s record of 19 overall wins. Hemamali, meanwhile, captured their maiden girls’ title in commanding style.
The finals produced drama and quality across divisions. Vidyarathana University College, Horana, impressed early with three golds, but their challenge faded as Royal and St. Sylvester’s dominated the following bouts.
St. Sylvester’s southpaw WGSC Warnakulasooriya opened with an unanimous points triumph before teammate PGTP Madhuwantha stunned Royal skipper NA Ahmedh in a spirited clash, using his reach and crisp jabs to frustrate his rival.
Royal’s Vimuth Hettiarachchi restored parity with a composed display of ring-craft against Sylvestrian KGSK Heshan with his precise combinations earning both victory and the TY Wright Trophy.
Last year’s Best Boxer Thenuwan Bandara Meegalla showcased his class once more, tactically outpointing Zahirian Aazil Murajudeen in a battle of junior Internationals. Sylvestrian captain JMT Deshan and teammate SGM Azhar sealed the Shield with clinical victories, confirming St. Sylvester’s as champions once again.
Royal’s Malith Bandara added gloss to their tally with a third-round strike of Dharmaraja College’s ABD Ranaweera, cementing the runner-up spot for his school.
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