Impressive Sri Lanka emerge runners-up
The spirited young Sri Lankan shuttlers with the silver medals in Male
Sri Lanka ended as runners-up in the recently concluded South Asian Regional Under-21 Badminton Championship worked-off in the city of Addu in Male.
India defeated Sri Lanka 3-1 in the five match finals. Sri Lanka managed to win only the Men’s Singles but went down tamely to South Asian giants, India in Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles events. As India was in the lead with 3-1 the Mixed Doubles event was not played.
Ranthushka Sasindu beat India Waran Koya 3-1 in the Men’s Singles. In the Women’s Singles Hasara Wijeratne was beaten by Man Singh 2-0 and in the Men’s Doubles Varan Koya and Sarath Dunna combination defeated Dumindu Abeywickrema and Ranthushka Sasindu 2-1.
Only in the Women’s Doubles match Sri Lanka matched India but went down fighting to a 0-2 loss. The first set was a close affair as India had to fight hard to gain a 21/19 win. It was anybody’s game in the 2nd set. The Indians were given a hard time by the Lankan pair Jananuwani Amanda and Hasini Ambalangoa. Fortunes swung from side to side, but the more experiences Indians managed to win the set 24/22,
Playing in Group ‘B’ Sri Lanka defeated Nepal, host Maldives and Bangladesh 5-0 in the preliminary rounds to qualify to play in the finals.
India playing in the ‘A’ group qualified for the finals by defeating Bhutan and Pakistan 5-0.
Yukthi Rangana accompanied the team as Head Coach while Kanchana Wimalasuriya and Tharanga Wimalasuriya were the tour manager and Lady Chapron respectively.
– Lakshman Ranasinghe
| Results of the finals: | |
| Men’s Singles: Ranthushka Sasindu (Sri Lanka) beat Charan Koya (India) 2-0 (21/17, 21/17) Women’s Singles: Man Singh (India) beat Hasara Wijeratne (Sri Lanka) 2-0 (21/8, 21/17) Men’s Doubles: Sarath Dunna/Charan Koya (India) beat Ranthushka Sasindu/Dumindu Abeywickrema (Sri Lanka) 2-1 (17/21, 21/19, 21/17) Women’s Doubles: Dipshika Singh/Man Singh (India) beat Hasini Ambalangoda/Jananuwani Amanda 2-0 (21/19, 24/22) |