Stage set for 71st Badminton Nationals
SLB officials at the launch of the annual Badminton Nationals, which will be held for the 71st occasion - Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
Over 1000 shuttlers will vie for honours at the 71st Nationals Badminton Championships which begin from tomorrow at three venues in Colombo. Organised by Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB), the Nationals promises to be a thrilling showcase of talent while a prize pool of rupees two million will be up for grabs when it comes to an end on December 10.
The Tournament features a compelling schedule of events at the SLB courts, Mercantile Badminton Association courts and D.S. Senanayake College Badminton courts. Sri Lanka Badminton said that there has been unprecedented enthusiasm among players as the sport’s governing body had received an impressive number of entries by the time entries were closed on November 24.
The main draw seeding were determined based on SLB ranking as of end of November. The draw took place November 30.
The inauguration ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow, kicking off a series of events starting with the preliminary rounds. The days following, from December 5 to 7, will be filled with intense preliminary rounds, building up to the pinnacle on December 8, with the Round of 16 and quarter-finals.
The excitement persists on December 9, featuring the highly anticipated semi-finals and additional quarter-final matches. The grand finale is reserved for December 10, hosting all the finals, and concluding with the closing ceremony to mark the end of the 71st edition of the Badminton Nationals.
The championships will encompass a diverse range of events, spanning from Under-11 to Under-19 in the junior category and Over-30 to Over-70 in the senior category. Notably, the spotlight will be on the Open category, showcasing Men’s and Women’s Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles as the focal point of this grand annual event.