Mihiliya and Shamil win main titles
Mihiliya Methsarani serves to Fathu Izzadeen Girls final, on the way to win her fifth straight national title yesterday - Pic by Ranjith Perera
Mihiliya Methsarani was crowned as the Sri Lanka Junior National Squash Champion for the fifth consecutive year while Shamil Wakeel won his second back to back junior national title at the 27th Ritzbury Sri Lanka Junior National Squash Championship, which ended at the Tamil Union Squash Courts, Colombo 8, yesterday.
Methsarani, the currently Asia’s second rank player, had to face a stiff challenge during the first four sets against Fathu Izzadeen before the history making squash player clinched the final set to seal the victory by 3-2 to be the continuous national champion since 2012.
The 18-year-old Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya girl, who won two bronze medals at the last South Asian Games (SAG) in India won the first set 11-6 and but Izzadeen came back strongly to take the second set 11-7.
Runner-up Izzadeen, an 18-year-old student of Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya, dominated the third game taking the set 11-7.
During the fourth set, the defending champion was losing the grip of the game earlier on as Izzadeen was leading 4-3.
Methsarani , who won a bronze medal at the 2013 Asian Junior Games held in Nanging, China, played a great game in the fifth set as the right hander totally out played the opponent winning the set by 11-3.
“I played a great game in the last set, that’s the way I play when I am at my best,” Methsarni said after the victory.
“This would be my last junior national championship title,” said Methsarani, who has already won three Senior National Title as well during the past three years.
The record breaking squashy, who won a bronze medal representing Sri Lanka as the captain of the contingent, has set a record in 2012 and 2013 winning both the junior and senior titles.
The boys junior national champion, the 18-year-old DS Senayake College player, Shamil Wakeel became the Junior National Champion for the second consecutive year.
Wakeel, a brilliant squash player, who won a bronze medal at the last SAG in 2015, defeated Royal College’s Duvindra Perera in straight three sets.
His remarkable body language and playing spirit was commendable during the three-set- journey and the right hander easily out played the Royal College’s Perera, who is at the age of 16.
Both the winners will be taking part at the Senior National Championships to be worked off from December 17 at the same venue.