Gateway continues to shine at squash
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Winners Manuth Dassanayake, Bihandu Nanayakkara and Matheesha Wijesekara with coach C.H. Thalagala
Gateway College juniors excelled in squash by dominating the younger age groups at the 32nd National Squash Championship that concluded last weekend at the Sinhalese Sports Club Complex. The eight-member team of Gateway consisting of Ranuk Mendis (Under-9), Disara Dillon Perukanda and Ravith Mendis (Under-11), Manuth Dassanayake (Under-11 and 13), Bihandu Nanayakkara (Under-13 and 15), Matheesha Wijesekara and Yolen Dimath Withanage (Under-15) and Vishan Ranatunga (Under-15 and 17), under the guidance of Coach C.H. Thalagala, prepared for this tournament with utmost commitment.
Manuth Dassanayake (Under-11 and 13) and Bihandu Nanayakkara (Under-13 and 15) had yet another successful tournament, dominating their respective age groups with ease. Matheesha Wijesekara also joined this formidable lineup having secured Under-15 Boys Novices runner-up title in his debut tournament.
Manuth reached both the Under-11 and Under-13 finals during his exceptional performance in the tournament. He triumphed over Kaveen Kohombange of Stafford International School with a significant margin of 3-0 sets with scores of 11-7, 11-8, and 11-6 in the Under-11 Boys finals ranking him first in this age group.
In the Under-13 age group, Manuth reached the finals to only to be beaten by his fellow schoolmate, Bihandu Nannayakara. Having secured the runner-up position, he is now ranked second in the older age group.
Bihandu Nannayakara, having already made a name for himself in the national squash arena, earned a well-deserved championship in the Under-13 Boys finals yet again by beating his fellow Gateway colleague by in straight sets with scores of 11-3, 11-8 and 11-5. He participated in the older age group (Under-15) too and reached the quarter-finals and obtained the fifth place having beaten Tharul Pinwatta of Royal College.
Matheesha Wijesekara had an outstanding debut tournament securing the runner-up position in the Boys Under-15 Novices category.