Lankans will play first game on August 9
The Sri Lanka team with officials prior to their departure to Philippines
Sri Lanka will meet Vietnam in their first round match on August 9 in the 19th Asian Senior Women’s Volleyball Championship in the Philippines. The tournament will be held from August 9 to 17 and the matches will be held in two cities: at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna and Muntinlupa Sports Complex in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila.
The Lankans are full of hope. They are aiming to topple Vietnam and proceed further in the competition according to Head Coach of the Sri Lanka team Sumith Jayalal. The Sri Lanka team will take wing to the Philippines tomorrow.
The Sri Lanka team has trained for three months and is in top form. But there is a setback as the trainer of the team Susiri Mangala Kumara has met with an accident and is presently under treatment at the General Hospital, Colombo. He will not make the trip to the Philippines.
Sri Lanka’s second match is on August 10 against South Korea and on August 11 against New Zealand.
At the 2015 competition Sri Lanka finished 14th out of 14 teams.
“This time that will not happen,” said Sumith to the Sunday Times. He expects Sri Lanka to finish in the 8th or 9th spot.
Fourteen Asian countries will be in the fray this year, Sri Lanka is in C Group with South Korea,Vietnam and New Zealand. Teams in Group A are host country the Philippines, Kazakhstan and Hong Kong. Teams in Group B are defending champions China, Japan and Australia, The teams in Group D are Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Iran and Maldives.
Dinesha Prasadani of Sri Lanka Air Force is the skipper of the Sri Lanka team, the deputy skipper is Iresha Surangani Perera of the Sri Lanka Army. There are seven members from the Sri Lanka Army in the team, three from the Air force and while the others are from Ports Authority and Sri Lanka Navy.
The Sri Lanka team: Dinesha Prasadani (Capt) Sri Lanka Air Force, Iresha Surangani Perera (V Capt.Army), Hasini Lakhika (Army), Apsara Sewmali Seneviatne (Army), Ayesha Madurika (Army),Vasana Madumali (Ports Authority), Thilini Wasana Perera (Army), Chathurika Gayani (Air Force), Kanchana Dilhani Wijekoon (Army), Sanjeevani Karunaratne (Army), Ashani Chamodika Jayatunga (Air Force) and Dilisha Sanjeevani (Navy).
Officials: Head Coach: Sumith Jayalal, Assistant Coach: L.H.N.I. Fernando, Lady Chaperone: R.J.M.K.L.P Jayawardena, Referee: Priyantha Seneviratne.