Outstation girls the toast at Sepaktakraw
Emerging women’s teams from Pinnawela, Debarawewa, Hambantota and the Sri Lanka Army caught the eye at the Sepaktakraw Championship 2013, which concluded at the St. Joseph’s College Indoor Sports Complex last week.
Teams from Pinnawela and Debarawewa were given a warm welcome on their return which augurs well for the sport in the island.
In the men’s competition last year’s winners, Uva Malay (Badulla), were dethroned this year by a fighting Malay CC team who were incidentally runners-up last year. This year an increased number of teams amounting to 18 participated in the two events (Double – Event and the Regu Event).
Sepaktakraw is a game played between two sides on a rectangular court the size of a badminton court with a ball made up of synthetic fiber consisting of 12 holes. Previously this ball was made of rattan. The game is similar to volleyball but played with the feet, head or any part of the body without the use of the hands. Spiking with the foot and blocking with the foot is done airborne at the net which is 1.55m in height and erected at the centre dividing the court into two equal halves. The winner is decided either in the best of three of five sets. A set is of 15 points.
Sepaktakraw has been an event at the Asian Games since 1990 and very popular in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, India and Canada. Thailand’s Kings Cup tournament is popular worldwide and Sri Lanka is hoping to send a men’s and women’s team for the championships this year.
The championships drew for the first time five women’s teams from Colombo, Pinnawela and Tissamaharama. The two-day competition concluded on a grand note after many keenly contested games between teams which provided entertaining fare and thrilling finishes keeping the large crowd on the edge of their seats.
Pinnawela CC Rambukkana and Debarawewa A and B teams were made up of the following:
Debarawewa players in action. - Pic by Susantha Liyanawatte.
Pinnawela CC Rambukkana – SMD Senanayake (Capt), HPKAM Palpitiya, UHA Sandamalie, MDSL Samarasinghe, HMTN Herath, GH Rashmila and JKRIM Jayasekera.
Debarawewa A and B – W.P. Ishani Chathurika (Capt), K.H. Nethmi Megawarna,. LG Pavithra Sandeepani (Capt), WPER Dulakshi, WP Sugandhi Malsha and M. Sachini Sitara.
The two events worked out namely ‘The Double Event and the Regu Event saw many upsets as fancied teams were defeated and emerging teams from Pinnawela, Hambantota and the Sri Lanka Army fought hard before conceding defeat.
It was the Women’s event that not only provided excitement which also displayed proper skills and technique which saw many rallies in a set. The games were decided on a best-of-three sets comprising of 15 points to a set.
Following are the results:
Men’s Category: Winners Regu – Event: Colombo Malay CC; Runners-up: Mabole Malays A; 3rd: Uva Malays A; 4th: Uva Malays B.
Double-Event: Garudas SC; Runners-up: Mabole Malays A; 3rd: Mabole Malays B; 4th: Pinnawela Central A.
Women’s Category: Winners Regu Event: Debarawewa National School A; Runners-up: Pinnawela Central B; 3rd: Debarawewa National School B; 4th: Pinnawela Central A
Double Event Winners: Debarawewa National School A; Runner-up: Pinnawela Central A, 3rd: Pinnawela B; 4th: Debarawewa National School B,
The feature of the competition was the sporting gesture of the Amateur Sepaktakraw Association to award trophies and certificates to even third and fourth place winners in order to encourage the teams to strive hard for success at future competitions.
The Chairman of the Organising Committee M. Jaldin and the Chairman of the Technical Committee Zahiran Hajireen along with Rohan Ousmand, Fazir Ousmand, M. Emran, Fousz Pallie, F. Ghouse and the Referees Panel of the Amateur Sepaktakraw Association should be congratulated for staging a splendid show amidst many financial difficulties.
The Chief-Guest at the championship was Retd. Senior DIG Nimal Lewke, a prominent past rugby player, coach and administrator. The Guests of Honour were another equally famous rugby player and administrator, Anton Benedict, and Retd. DIG A. Kamaldeen.
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