Roshita and Cooray maintain national rankings
Joseph Roshita and Chamil Cooray maintained their national rankings to win the Women’s Single and Men’s Single titles respectively at the 47th National Carrom Championship 2015 organised and conducted by the Carrom Federation and played at the Carrom Federation Headquarters, Maharagama last weekend.
In a much awaited Women’s semi-finals where two schoolgirls from Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya Detuni Nomaya and Kusalya
Top players Joseph Roshita
Vidnagama locked horns with Sri Lanka’s No. 1 and No. 2, Joseph Roshita and Chalani Lakmali. Every spectator present at the semi-finals expected these youngsters to create upsets as on their way to this stage defeated much fancied players. But the much experienced Sri Lanka’s No.1 and 2 players never gave the youngsters a chance to settle down to beat them in straight sets.
In the Men’s final another up and coming young player Udesh Chandima Perera of the Sri Lanka Air Force was grounded by Chamil Cooray in the finals. Udesh after being defeated in the first set came back strongly in the second set to defeat the champ 25/20 but failed to come back in the most important third set and was beaten 18/25.
The next event of the federation will be the Grand Slam Carrom Tournament which will be only for 16 men and women ranked players where 32 rankers will compete against each other on February 14, 15 and 17. This will be a keenly contested ranking tournament as players will fight for supremacy.
Results Women’s Singles
Semi-finals:
Chamil Cooray
Joseph Roshita (1) beat Detuni Nomaya 25/23, 25/18.
Chalani Lakmali (2) beat Kusalya Vidnagama 25/6, 25/8.
Finals: Joseph Roshita beat Chalani Lakmali 25/17, 25/18.
Top 8: 1. Joseph Roshita, 2. Chalani Lakmali, 3. Detuni Nomaya, 4. Kushalya Vidanagama, 5. Madushika Kanchanamala, 6. Buddhini Dias, 7. Maduwanthi Gunadasa, 8. Sadini Nirasha.
Men’s Single Semi-finals:
Chamil Cooray (1) beat Mohamed Shaheed 25/15, 20/25, 25/00.
Udesh Chandima Perera beat Anas Ahamed 25/21, 25/13.
Finals: Chamil Cooray beat Udesh Chandima Perera 25/8, 23/25, 25/7.
Top 8: 1. Chamil Cooray, 2. Udesh Chandima, 3. M. Shaheed, 4. Anas Ahamed, 5. Dimal Senaratne, 6. Prabath Yatawara, 7. M. Sherifdeen, 8. Tharanga Kelum.