Uva Malays, Malay CC hot contenders
View(s):Sepaktakraw championship 2013
By Rangi Akbar
The Amateur Sepaktakraw Association of Sri Lanka, a senior affiliate member of both the Asian Sepaktakraw Federation and the International Sepaktakraw Federation, has made elaborate arrangements to conduct the Sepaktakraw Championship 2013 for the 10th time on May 18 and 19 at the Indoor Sports Complex of the Colombo University. A large number of Men’s’ teams and eight Women’s’ teams for the first time are expected to participate at this year’s championship which augurs well for the sport in Sri Lanka.
The Organizing Committee of the Sepaktakraw Championship 2013
Sepaktakraw is a sport similar to volleyball but played without the use of hands, leaving room for a lot of acrobatic movement.
The championship will consist of 2 events namely: The doubles event and the regu event. The doubles event will be held on May 18 and the regu event on May 19 with the finials of both events scheduled for the May 19. Entry forms and invitation letters have already been posted to all associations, clubs, schools and institutions according to the sect. gen. to enable all teams to commence training well in advance.
The contenders for the championship this year will be between the Uva Malay Association and the Colombo Malay Cricket Club who were champion and runners-up respectively at the last championship. However, the Malay Cricket Club bounced back to beat all oppositions at the recently concluded Sepaktakraw competition to commemorate the 140th year anniversary of the club.
The Sect. Gen. and Chairman of the organising committee M. Jaldin clarifying the situation said that the Association has conducted sepaktakraw orientation and development programmes from February 2012 to-date amongst the youth in the districts of Trincomalee, Nawalapitiya, Hambantota, Tissamaharama, Kegalle, and Colombo and assisted them to form their respective sepaktakraw clubs and associations. The association has also provided them with balls, nets, etc; free of charge. The coaching panel of the association makes periodical visits to all these places to monitor the progress made.
The special general meeting of the association will be held soon after the Sepaktakraw championship 2013, probably with an observer from the Ministry of Sports as the Association is now geared for affiliation with the Sports Ministry with the game being stabilised in the outstations and has a greater representation of members.
Jaldin further added that the association with a dedicated band of office-bearers led by its’ President Nizam Hajireen, (a double international in rugby and football) had so far withstood and had overcome all obstacles and obstruction caused by certain disgruntled individuals who are unaware that the game of sepaktakraw has been sustained and kept alive so long by exhausting the meager personal resources of the president and office-bearers of the association which is in keeping with the motto of the association: ‘Service before Self’.
However the President has stressed that all efforts and the struggles undergone patiently for so long should culminate ultimately with the long overdue affiliation with the Sports Ministry of the country.
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