Chamil and Yasika slice through
Yasika Rahubadda (L) won her third National Women's Carrom Championship - File pic
Chamil Cooray the reigning World Swiss Carrom champion and Yasika Rahubadda were crowned Men’s and Women’s National Carrom champions in the Men’s and Women’s categories at the 49th National Carrom Championship 2017 concluded at the Carrom Federation of Sri Lanka Headquarters last weekend.
A high standard of slice work was exhibited at the championship where a number of 12 ‘Slams’ were recorded.
In addition to her Singles crown Rahubadda partnering Chalani Lakmali went on to emerge champions in the Women’s Doubles event too. Chamil Cooray won the national crown for the 13th year while Rahubadda won the women’s crown for the 3rd time. Cooray won the championship consecutively on two occasions first from 2004 to 2011 and again from 2013 to 2017. Yasika Rahubadda won the championship in 2008, 2009 and in this year.
Cooray came out with flying colours in the Men’s singles final round when he defeated the former world champion Nishantha Fernando in straight sets in the finals. In the quarter-finals and semi-finals Cooray defeated his opponents Charith Madusanka and Mohamed Sheriffdeen in straight sets.
Rahubadda didn’t have easy passage to the championship as she was given a good fight by Chalani Lakmali in the finals and in the semi-finals she had to fight all the way to beat Minsadi Laknara.
Chamil Cooray his 13th National title
 Final results:
Men’s Singles:Â
Finals: Chamil Cooray beat Nishantha Fernando 2-0 (25/9, 25/0); Semi-finals: beat Mohamed Sheriffdeen 2-0 (25/21, 25/7);
Quarter-finals: beat Charith Madusanka 2-0 (25/20, 25/0)
3rd place: M. Sheriffdeen beat Joseph Dilan 2-0 (25/21, 25/7)
Men’s doubles:
Finals: Nishantha Fernando/Suraj Maduwantha beat Chamil Cooray/Brindly Wickremasinghe 2-0 (25/11, 25/5)
3rd place: Udesh Chandima/Hasitha Anuruddha beat Lalith Hewage/Nuwan Indika 2-0 (25/1, 25/14)
Women’s Singles:
Finals: Yasika Rahubadda beat Chalani Lakmali 2-1 (25/1, 24/25, 25/21); Semi-finals: beat Mindadi Laknara 2-1 (25/16, 24/25, 25/6)
3rd place: Joseph Roshita beat Minsadi Laknara 2-1 (25/6, 24/25, 25/20)
Women’s Doubles: Yasika Rahubadda/Chalani Lakmali beat Joseph Roshita/Arosha Wickremasinghe 2-0 (25/2, 25/4)
3rd place: Rebeca Delrine/H.M.P.G. Wijeratne beat Maduwanthi Gunadasa/Madusha Vithana 2-1 (14/25, 25/21, 25/5)
Mixed Doubles:
Finals: Lahiru Eshan/Joseph Roshita beat Hasitha Anuruddha/Yasika Rahubadda 2-0 (25/18, 22/15)
Veterans Singles:
Finals: Hunaid Hateem beat M.A.S. Wimalakeerthi 2-0 (25/6, 25/14)
3rd place: Upali Premachandra beat Sujeewa Lasantha 2-0 (25/8, 25/19)
In this year’s championship nine white slams and three black slams were scored by:
Men’s singles: Nishantha Fernando (3 w/s), Lahiru Eshan (1 w/s), Chamil Cooray 1 w/s, 1 b/s), M. Sheriffdeen (1 w/s), Anas Ahamed ( 1 w/s), Ishan Kannangara (1 b/s)
Women’s singles: Chalani Lakmali (1 w/s), Maduka Dilhani (1 b/s)
Mixed Doubles:Lahiru Eshan (1 w/s)