Young Sri Lankan team impress at Asian Open Kyokushin Karate tournament in India
View(s):A young Sri Lanka team impressed at the 1st Asian Open Kyokushin Karate tournament held in Pune, India. The event was organised by World Kyokushinkai Karate Association India. A total of nine participants took part in the event from Sri Lanka and impressed in their maiden outing with good performances.
Sri Lanka won two third places, while finishing fourth in two events and fifth in five events. Youngsters Dhehan Ediriweera and Shevon Perera were placed third respectively in the age groups of 7-10 and 10-12 while Vinuja Jayasinghe and Wasantha Kumara were placed fourth respectively in the 14-16 age group and black belts events. Tahira Jayasinghe, Mahima Manage, Indeevari de Silva, Shenal Yasasmin and Andrea Kodippily were placed fifth in the events they took part in.
This was the first event World Kyokushin Budokai of Sri Lanka participated internationally. Besides Sri Lanka, Turkey, Japan, Afghanistan, Iran, Nepal and India the other countries who took part in the tournament.
World Kyokushin Budokai of Sri Lanka chief instructor and chairman sensei Sampath Lasantha, coach sensei Padmasiri Naranwala, national organiser Prabath Ediriweera, manager Bisara Chanakya and lady chaperon Samantha Abayajeewa accompanied the nine-member team to India.