Sunday Times wins Sports Presidential Awards
Kumar Sangakkara and Nimali Liyanarachchi emerged the Most Outstanding Sportsman and Sportswoman of 2015 while Senior Sports Journalist S.R. Pathiravithana, Sports Editor and Deputy Editor of the Sunday Times won the award for the Most Outstanding Sports Journalist of the Year (Print Media) 2015 at the Presidential Sports Awards Ceremony held at the BMICH on Wednesday.
S.R. Pathiravithana, Deputy Editor Sports, the Sunday Times receives the award for the Most Outstanding Sports Page. He also became the Most Outstanding Sports Journalist
Pathiravithana has been an all-round sports journalist for over 40 years. The Sunday Times also was adjudged as the Most Outstanding Sports Page – English medium among the National Newspapers for the Year 2015.
Awards were presented to all aspects of sports where former Sri Lanka cricketer and Captain Kumar Sangakkara won the award for the Sportsman of the Year. Athlete Nimali Liyanarachchi was selected as the Most Outstanding Sportswoman of the Year. Altogether 23 sportsmen, women, veteran officials from every field were presented with awards. The Sri Lanka Cricket team won the award for the Most Outstanding Team of the Year.
Among the other main awards presented on that were the conferring of Kreedabhimani title to athlete Susanthika Jayasinghe for winning a ‘silver’ at the year 2000 Olympics, Arjuna Ranatunga for leading the ICC World Cup in 1996 and Muttiah Muralitharan for claiming 800 Test wickets.
Kreedabimani: Susanthika Jayasinghe
The other titles conferred were Kreeda Deshoththara to former cricketers Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda de Silva also for their contribution during the 1996 cricket World Cup wins, Kreeda Keerthi to athlete W. Wimaladasa (Gold medal and new games record in the 1974 Teheran Asian Games in the 400m and a member of the 4 x 400 Gold medal at the same event which was also a new games record), S.L.B. Rosa 5000m gold medal and 10000m gold medal and a new games record at the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok and Nagalingam Ethirweerasingham — gold medal at the 1958 Tokyo Asian Games.
Kreeda Lanka Pradeepa title was conferred upon Sunil B. Gunawardena (member of the 1974 4×400 relay team Gold medal and new games record), A. Premachandra (member of the 1974 4×400 relay team Gold medal and new games record) Kosala Sahabandu (member of the 1974 4×400 relay team Gold medal and new games record).
Arjuna Ranatunga
Kreeda Ratna title was conferred upon Julian Bolling for representing the Olympics in swimming at Los Angeles, Seoul and Barcelona.
Kreeda Prabha title was conferred upon for Sports administrator Sunil Jayaweera and author Lalith Gunawardena.
The organisers are hoping to conduct the Presidential Sports Award every year. This is the first time a Presidential Sports Award Ceremony was held. It was conducted by the Sports Ministry. The Chief Guests were President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe.
Awards (in order of presentation)
Most Outstanding Sports Photographer of the Year
- Dennis Susantha Muthuthanthri (Winner)
- Prince Gunasekara (Runner-up)
- Vidura de Silva (Runner-up)
Most Outstanding Radio Sports Program of the Year
Sri FM Sports Roundup (Winner)
Siyatha FM Hit Wicket (Runner-up)
Most Outstanding Sports Publication of the Year
Asoka Gunathilake (Winner)
Sunil B. Gunawardana
Most Outstanding Leisure Sports Provider of the Year
Lanka Sportrtreizen (Winner)
Nuwara Eliya Golf Club (Runner-up)
Dilango Racing (Runner-up)
Most Outstanding Academic of the Year
Dr. Samantha Nanayakkara(Winner)
Dr. Daminda Kumari Attanayake (Runner-up)
Anoma Ratnayake (Runner-up)
Most Outstanding Sports Physician of the Year
Dr. Pradeep Kiriella (Winner)
Dr. Lal Kithsiri (Runner-up)
Dr. Shashidara de Silva (Runner-up)
Most Outstanding Junior Coach of the Year
Anura Bandara (Winner)
M.G.N.R. Bandara (Runner-up)
Thamara Liyanage (Runner-up)
Most Outstanding Coach of the Year
A.S.N. Abeysekara (Winner)
Kumara Gunaratne (Runner-up)
Pradeep Nishshanka (Runner-up)
Most Outstanding Referee/Umpire/Judge/Technical Officer of the Year
Ranjan Madugalle (Winner)
Kumar Dharmasena (Runner-up)
P.H.D. Waidyatilake (Runner-up)
Most Outstanding Junior Sports Team of the Year
Junior National Netball Team (Winner) (Hasini Eranga, Senani Palika, Nadee Madushika, Thisala Algama, Gayani Dissanayake, Dilshani Cabral, Jayathri Upendra, Bashini Yoshitha, Ruwani Yatigammana, Sachini Hirunuka, Dulangi Wannithilaka, Gayanjali Amarawansa)
The Most Outstanding Junior Sportswoman of the Year
Yamani Dulanjali (Winner)
Srimali Samarakoon (Runner-up)
Mihiliya Methsarani (Runner-up)
The Most Outstanding Junior Sportsman of the Year
Dhammika Ranathunga (Winner)
Bevishan Jith Wijewickrama (Runner-up)
Chamal Kumarasiri (Runner-up)
The Most Outstanding Disabled Sportswoman of the Year
Amara Indumathie Karunathilake (Winner)
The Most Outstanding Disabled Sportsman of the Year
Anil Prasanna Jayalath (Winner)
Dinesh Deshapriya Silva (Runner-up)
Most Outstanding Sports Page of National Newspaper (English)
The Sunday Times (Winner)
Most Outstanding Sports Page of National Newspaper (Sinhala)
Divaina (Winner)
Most Outstanding Sports Page of National Newspaper (Tamil)
Virakesari (Winner)
Most Outstanding Documentary Television Sports Program of the Year
Hiru TV – Dinana Lamai (Winner)
Most Outstanding Live Television Sports Programme of the Year
Rupavahini – “Guwan Hamuda Paapedi Sawaariya” (Winner)
Most Outstanding Sports Journalist of the Year – Print Media
S. R. Pathiravithana (Winner)
Indrajith Subasinghe (Runner-up)
Preshanth Jithendra (Runner-up)
Most Outstanding Sports Journalist of the Year (Electronic Media)
Saranga Pathirana (Winner)
Mohomed Hussian (Runner-up)
Roshan Lakmal (Runner-up)
Most Outstanding Sports Promoter/Sponsor of the Year
Dialog Axiata PLC (Winner)
Nestle Milo (Runner-up)
www.sportsinfo.lk (Runner- up)
The Most Outstanding Sports Team of the Year
Sri Lanka Cricket Team (Winner) (TM Dilshan, Shehan Jayasuriya, Chamara Kapugedera, Kusal Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Angelo Mathews, Dananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Binura Fernando, Dasun Shanaka, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dushmantha Chameera, Sachithra Senanayake, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Kithruwan Vithanage, Jeffrey Vandersay)
Sri Lanka Karate Do Women’s Team (Runner – up) (Mihiri Rathnasinghe, Farwin Shuhara Faiz, Nirosha Nirmali)
The Most Outstanding Sportswoman of the Year
Nimali Liyanaarachchige (Winner)
Chathurika Priyanthi (Runner-up)
Shashikala Siriwardana (Runner-up)
The Most Outstanding Sportsman of the Year
Kumar Sangakkara (Winner)
Dilantha Malagamuwa (Runner-up)
Chamika Udayanga Perera (Runner-up)
Most Outstanding Sports Personality of the Year
Ranjan Madugalle (Winner)