Sri Lanka Schools shooting sensation Amandika Amarasinghe earned the highest accolade for her prolific performances, as she became the Best Athlete of the Year at the National Shooting Sport Federation (NSSF) Awards Ceremony 2019, held at the Raffles Banquet Hall in Kotte. Amarasinghe, a student of Devi Balika Vidyalaya who had represented Sri Lanka as [...]
National Shooting Sport Federation (NSSF) Awards Ceremony 2019
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Sri Lanka Schools shooting sensation Amandika Amarasinghe earned the highest accolade for her prolific performances, as she became the Best Athlete of the Year at the National Shooting Sport Federation (NSSF) Awards Ceremony 2019, held at the Raffles Banquet Hall in Kotte.
Amarasinghe, a student of Devi Balika Vidyalaya who had represented Sri Lanka as an aspiring and prolific shooter, was the cynosure of the NSSF Awards Ceremony, also winning important segments, including the Best Young and Junior Athlete of the Year.
Besides winning couple of segments, Amarasinghe also pocketed the award for the Best Junior Performer at the National Championship 2019. She won gold medals in the 10m Air Rifle Open for Women and also in the 10m Air Rifle for Junior Women, to earn three important awards and be the cynosure of the evening.
Army, equipped with experienced and talented shooters, claimed gold medals in eight events and were the worthy winners of the Overall Championship at the NSSF Awards Ceremony. L.L.B. Wijayarathna, another young shooter representing Sri Lanka Schools, bagged the Best Emerging Athlete of the Year award while Jeremy Fernando won the Best Emerging Shotgun Athlete of the Year award.
Athugala Sport Shooting Club was named the Best Emerging Club of the Year, while Johann Fernando went on to emerge the Best Shotgun Athlete of the Year for 2019. Navy emerged as Team Event Champions.
Seven former shooting stars were presented with Lifetime Achievement Medals for their untiring contribution to uplift the sport in Sri Lanka, under two categories. Incumbent NSSF President Shirantha Peries and Zal Chitty were rewarded with Gold Awards for their invaluable contribution to uplift shooting sports in Sri Lanka. Brigadier A.M.A. Chandrasiri, Russel Gray, Elmore Rodrigo, Pradeep Edirisinghe and Lt. Col. Thilak Dissanayake were presented with Silver Awards.
NSSF President Peries, a keen clay target shooter himself, explained the importance of working as a unit to overcome obstacles and achieve more than what shooting has gained during the recent years.
“We have developed in many ways over the years. At the recently concluded Nationals, it was overwhelming to see the participation in numbers of girls and women. We are still battling to have a national shooting range, managed by the NSSF, but it looks that the process will be delayed further. But if we stand as a unit, back each other as we have all these years, we can soon achieve that,” Peries stated during his speech.
In addition four former shooters and present officials were presented with Golden Star awards for their contribution as volunteers, while seven shooters were presented with Silver Star awards for their commitment as athletes.
Brigadier A.M.A. Chandrasiri, the former President of National Rifle Association graced the occasion as the Chief Guest while Suresh Subramaniam, the Chairman of National Olympic Committee was the Guest of Honour. Subramaniam, overwhelmed by the unity of the shooting fraternity, pledged that NOC will enlist shooting sport as an important and potential medal-winner in the future.
“Before I was elected the Chairman of NOC, I had a different perspective about sports. But it changed after doing field visits and personally witnessing what it takes to produce a medal-winning athlete. As I have observed, three components are needed for a sport and athlete to reach the next level. They are dedication from the athlete, commitment from the parents and the backing of the organisation.
In most sports I have only seen the first two, but in shooting I see all three aspects well and truly combined. The NOC is keen to support shooting, as we identify the sport as a discipline that could win medals internationally,” Subramaniam outlined.
Recipients of NSSF Awards 2019
Best Athlete of the Year Amandika Amarasinghe receives her award from Chief Guest Brig. A.M.A Chandrasiri.
Best Athlete of the Year: Amandika Amarasinghe Overall Champions: Sri Lanka Army Team Event Champions: Sri Lanka Navy Musketry Best Shotgun Athlete of the Year: Johann Fernando Best Emerging Shotgun Athlete of the Year: Jeremy Fernando Best Emerging Club of the Year: Athugala Sports Shooting Club Best Young and Junior Athlete of the Year: Amandika Amarasinghe Best Emerging Athlete of the Year: L.L.B. Wijayarathna Best Performance Open Category Rifle and Pistol at Nationals: S.M.M. Samarakoon (Army) Best Performance Junior Category Rifle and Pistol at Nationals: Amandika Amarasinghe (Schools) Best Performance Youth Category Rifle and Pistol at Nationals: D.P.A.C. Senadeera (Athugala) 10m Air Pistol (Youth Men): Gold: K.N. Kasthuriarachchi (Schools) Silver: L.L.B. Wijayarathne (Schools) Bronze: J.A.J. Janakantha (Schools) 10m Air Pistol (Youth Women): Gold: W.H.A.V.N. Weerasinghe (Schools) Silver: U.K.D.T. Geethma (Schools) Bronze: B.A.T.S. Navodya (Schools) 10m Air Rifle (Youth Men): Gold: A. Dambukola (Schools) Silver: P.H.R. Suraweera (Athugala) Bronze: A.N.I. Salie (Schools) 10m Air Rifle (Youth Women): Gold: D.P.A.C. Senadeera (Athugala) Silver: H.M.L.D.K. Hangilipola (Schools) Bronze: A.M. Daluwatta (Athugala) 10m Air Pistol (Junior Men): Gold: C.B.S. Wijayarathne (Schools) Silver: K.G.S. Aloka (Schools) Bronze: M.F.M. Amri (Schools) 10m Air Pistol (Junior Women): Gold: W.W.S.S. Samanmali (Schools) Silver: B.K.E. Nishadini (Schools) Bronze: W.A.C. Hansini (Schools) 10m Air Rifle (Junior Men): Gold: D.I. Mohotti (Schools) Silver: S.D. Perera (Schools) Bronze: C.A.Y.N. Liyanage (Schools) 10m Air Rifle (Junior Women): Gold: A. Amarasinghe (Schools) Silver: W.A.Y.N. Dharmadasa (Schools) Bronze: H.P.G.A. Gunawardana (Schools) 10m Air Pistol (Open Men): Gold: J.D. Chamindarathna (Army) Silver: D.M.S.M. Dissanayaka (Navy) Bronze: E.H.M.R.C. Sanjeewa (Army) Team: Sri Lanka Army (W.G.U.K. Wijerathna, J.D. Chamindarathna, H.M.M. Sanjeewa) 10m Air Pistol (Open Women): Gold: A.I.D.A. Kulathunga (Army) Silver: R. Abeymanne (Cambrian SC) Bronze: J.A.R.P. Ranasinghe (Air Force) Team: SL Navy Musketry (W.G.S. Priyadarshani, K.G.A.K. Priyadarshani, K.G.D.T. Dilrukshi) 10m Air Rifle (Open Men): Gold: W.G.D. Madusanka (Air Force) Silver: H.D.P. Kumara (Navy) Bronze: S.M.M. Samarakoon (Army) Team: Sri Lanka Army (P.K.J.S. Gayanga, S.M.M. Samarakoon, W.A.J.R. Hemachandra) 10m Air Rifle (Open Women): Gold: A. Amarasinghe (Schools) Silver: M.G.T.U.E. Egodawela (Navy) Bronze: K.D.J. Heshanika (Air Force) Team: Sri Lanka Navy Musketry (K.K.G. Perera, W.M.S.Y. Perera, M.G.T.U.E. Egodawela) 50m Prone (Open Men): Gold: W.K.Y. Krishantha (Navy) Silver: H.D.P. Kumara (Navy) Bronze: S.M.M. Samarakoon (Army) Team: Sri Lanka Navy Musketry (W.K.Y. Krishantha, H.D.P. Kumara, M.D.U.P. de Silva) 50m Rifle (Open Women): Gold: W.M.S.Y. Perera (Navy) Silver: K.K.G. Perera (Navy) K.G.P. Ratnayaka (Army) Team: Sri Lanka Navy Musketry (W.M.S.Y. Perera, K.K.G. Perera, M.G.T.U.E. Egodawela) 3×40 Rifle (Open Men): Gold: S.M.M. Samarakoon (Army) Silver: H.D.P. Kumara (Navy) Bronze: W.K.Y. Krishantha (Navy) Team: Sri Lanka Navy Musketry (W.K.Y. Krishantha, H.D.P. Kumara, T.S. Gamage) 3×40 Rifle (Open Women): Gold: W.G.J. Madushani (Army) Silver: K.G.P. Rathnayaka (Army) Bronze: K.K.G. Perera (Navy) Team: Sri Lanka Navy Musketry (K.K.G. Perera, M.G.T.U.E. Egodawela, B.L.T. Sandamali) 25m Sports Pistol (Women): Gold: K.S.C.G. Kendawela (Army) Silver: R. Abeymanne (Cambrian SC) Bronze: W.G.S. Priyadarshani (Navy) Team: Sri Lanka Army (K.S.C.G. Kendawela, W.A.N.M. Weerakkody, A.I.D.A. Kulathunga) 25m Centre Fire Pistol (Men): Gold: Suranga Fernando (Cambrian SC) Silver: G. Walgama (Cambrian SC) Bronze: B.N. Priyantha (Police) Team: Sri Lanka Police (J. Poddalgoda, S.P.R.K. Jayasinghe, B.N. Priyantha) 25m Rapid Fire Pistol (Men): Gold: W.M.K. Kumara (Navy) Silver: A.D.D. Karunathilaka (Army) Bronze: L.S.H.D.S. Wijewardana (Navy) Team: Sri Lanka Navy Musketry (S.H.T. Jayawardana, L.S.H.D.S. Wijewardana, W.M.K. Kumara) 25m Standard Pistol (Men): Gold: Suranga Fernando (Cambrian SC) Silver: W.M.K. Kumara (Navy) Bronze: G.S. Walgama (Cambrian SC) Team: Sri Lanka Navy Musketry (S.H.T. Jayawardana, W.M.K. Kumara, H.K. Rajapaksha) 50m Free Pistol (Men): Gold: J.D. Chamindarathna (Army) Silver: W.G.U.K. Wijerathna (Army) Bronze: D.M.S.M. Dissanayaka (Navy) Team: Sri Lanka Army (W.G.U.K. Wijerathna, J.D. Chamindarathna, H.M.M. Sanjeewa) Mix Air Rifle (Youth and Junior): Gold: D.I. Mohotti and K.V.A. Tharupathini (Schools) Silver: P.H.R. Suraweera and D.P.A.C. Senadeera (Athugala) Bronze: S.D. Perera and H. Siriwardana (Schools) Mix Air Pistol (Youth and Junior): Gold: L.L.R. Wijerathna and W.W.S.S. Samanmali (Schools) Silver: C.S.B. Wijayarathne and U.K.D.T. Geethma (Schools) Bronze: J.A.G.J. Janakantha and N. Handalage (Schools) Mix Air Rifle (Open): Gold: W.A.J.R. Hemachandra and B.A.N.M. Dissanayake (Army) Silver: H.D.P. Kumara and M.G.T.U.E. Egodawela (Navy) Bronze: W.G.D. Madusanka and K.G.J. Heshanika (Air Force) Mix Air Pistol (Open): Gold: J.D. Chamindarathna and A.I.D.A. Kulathunga (Army) Silver: Ruwini Abeymanne and Suranga Fernando (Cambrian SC) Bronze: D.M.S.M. Dissanayaka and K.G.D.T. Dilrukshi (Navy) Lifetime Achievement Awards Gold Awards: Shirantha Peries, Zal Chitty Silver Awards: Brig (Rtd) A.M.A. Chandrasiri, Russel Gray, Elmore Rodrigo, Pradeep Edirisinghe, Lt. Col. Thilak Dissanayake Silver Star Awards: DIG (Rtd) Gamini Walgama, ASP (Rtd) J. Poddalgoda, Ruwani Abeymanne, WSP (Rtd) Soma Kumarasinghe, WIP Paba Ekanayake, Anil Peiris, Dallas Martynstyne, D.M.P.B. Dassanayake Golden Star Awards for Volunteers: Lt. Col (Rtd) S.J.N. Ritigahapola, Anil Rathnayake, Capt (Rtd) Harsha Weerasuriya, Perry Emmanuel Diploma for Judges: SSP (Rtd) Ibrahim Hamid, Pradeep Edirisinghe, D.M.P.B. Dassanayaka, Kamal Danuka, Lasith Perera, L.G. Panditharathna, H.K.L. Hettiarachchi
