Royal, Visakha S’gaskanda champs
Captain of the champion Visakha Sapugaskanda team receiving the trophy from Dian Gomes, President of National Association of Fencing Sri Lanka
Royal College Colombo and Visakha College Sapugaskanda emerged champions in the boys and girls categories of the inaugural School National Fencing Championship which was conducted at the MAS Royal Arena auditorium, Reid Avenue.
In the boy’s category Royal came out top when they bagged 15 medals comprising of four gold medals, two silver medals and nine bronze medals while Mahawatte MV Kandy took the second spot with six medals that included four gold medals, one silver and one bronze followed by Yathiena MV Malwana with four medals.
In the girls category saw Visakha Vidyalaya bag ten medals comprising of five gold medals, two silver medals and three bronze medals. Princess of Wales Moratuwa was second with two medal and Mahawatte MV Kandy third.
Royal secured their gold medals, one in the Under 17 age group which was mixed team event with the members being Gawesh Samarathunga, Anjula Abeyweera, Induwara Mapalagama and Mohamed Nusran.
The other three gold medals were won in the Under 20 age group in the epee individual being won by Kavinda Collure, Sabre individual won by Yahiya Salih and the team event with the members being Buddika Priyashan, Ridma Pathirana, Seth Perera and Umayanga Wickramanayake.
Royal Colombo the champion team in the boys' category
Visakha Sapugaskanda secured their gold medals in the two age groups of Under 15 and 17. The two gold medals in the Under 15 were won by Tharushi Sewmini in the foil individual and the other in the mixed event with the team members being Tharusha Sewmini, Nethmi Niwartha and Chamudi Inosha.
The gold medals they won in the Under 17 were won by Shilpa Kavindi in the foil individual and the other in the mixed event with the members being Tharushi Udani, Sulaksha Vimarshi, Yuthmi Ayama and Shilpa Kavindi.
Meanwhile Avishka Isurumal of Pannala National School was adjudged the best fencer in the boys’ category while Chathuni Karunaratne of Princess of Wales taking the best fencers award in the girls category.
The inaugural Schools National Championship saw the participation of 94 fencers comprising of 14 teams in the boys category and seven teams in the girls category.