Manuth, Ravith and Vishan of Gateway to represent Sri Lanka in squash
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(From left): Sajith Liyanage (Master-in-charge), Thilaka Jinadasa (Team Leader, Sports Development of Gateway Group), Dr. Harsha Alles (Chairman, Gateway Group), Ravith Mendis, Vishan Ranatunge, Manuth Dassanayake, Jayanthi Somasundaram (Head of Sports, Gateway College Colombo), C.H. Thalagala (Coach)
Three rising stars of Gateway College were chosen to represent the country at the 30th Asian Junior Individual Squash Championship to be held in Dalian, China. All three who were introduced to the game at the squash court at Gateway College in Colombo under the guidance of Coach C.H. Thalagala, have grown in skill and confidence to bring pride to their alma mater and the country.
“I started playing squash at the age of seven in 2017 and won the first championship in 2019 at the Air Force Open Championship in the Under-9 age group. Thereafter, I won many championships including the Junior Nationals at the Under-11 and Under-13 age groups and I was ranked No.1 at national level in both age groups,” speaking of their progress so far, Manuth Dassanayake said.
“It was by sheer coincidence that I started playing squash. Almost seven years ago, while I was playing basketball, the teacher-in-charge requested me to join squash since there were only a very few students playing the game. At first, I was confused not knowing what this game was but wanted to try it out. During my first few years, I was not allowed to go to the court but had to practice outside the court. The coach let me in when the time was right but initially, I lost many of my games. Later, I became the Under-9 champion at the Yeti Open Tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Squash,” Ravith Mendis added his remarks.
“Nine years ago, I embarked on a journey into the world of squash, driven by an unwavering passion for the sport and its agility and strategy. The allure of challenging myself physically and mentally propelled me to pick up the racket. With each practice session, I honed my skills and embraced the values of discipline and perseverance. Today, my dedication has led me to a pinnacle I once only dreamed of, representing Sri Lanka,” Vishan Ranatunge said.