St. Sylvester’s dominates Stubbs Shield with fourth consecutive title and 18th overall win
View(s):St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy, reinforced its supremacy in school boxing by clinching the Stubbs Shield for the fourth consecutive year and the 18th time overall in the 105th Stubbs Shield Inter-School Boxing Championship held at the Royal MAS Arena. The Sylvestrians showcased a formidable performance, capturing four gold and two silver medals in the finals.
Royal College, Colombo claimed the runners-up position with three gold, three silver, and a bronze medal. Thenuwan Bandara Meegalla, Royal’s captain and Taipei City Cup gold medallist, was awarded the prestigious Col. T.Y. Wright Challenge Cup as the Best Boxer in the Senior Boys division for his technical prowess.
St. Sylvester's College with the Stubbs Shield Front row (from left): B.G.D. Piyathilaka, T.M.R.L. Thennakoon, T.M.C.L. Thennakoon, S.G.M. Azhar, J.M.T. Deshan, K.G.S.K. Heshan, S.P.P. Angelo Back row (from left): P.G.C.M. Kumara, S. Nawarathne (St. Sylvester's Boxing Union), S. Sivaneshan (Master in-Charge), T.B.J.G. Bandara (Head Coach), A.G.V.H. Jayasinghe, T. Pallekumbura (St. Sylvester's Boxing Union), M. Ilham (St. Sylvester's Boxing Union)
In the Girls’ division, Siri Perakum Vidyalaya, Kotagala emerged champions with three gold medals and a silver, while Sri Pragnarathne Central College, Geli Oya emerged runners-up with three gold and three bronze medals. Chathuni Jagathya Siriwardena of Hemamali Girls College, Kandy, received the Best Boxer award in the Senior Girls 48kg category displaying good ringcraft and excellence to outpoint M.K.M. Muthuni of Dharmaloka College, Pelmadulla.
Organised as part of the All-Island National School Games by the Education Ministry and Schools Boxing Association, this year’s event saw nearly 500 boxers from 132 schools competing across 36 weight classes. With six finalists, two more than Royal, St. Sylvester’s were clear frontrunners from the outset.
Capt. R.K. Indrasena (rtd), Chairman of the BASL Referees and Judges Commission presenting the runners-up trophy to Royal College
Key wins included Vidyatharathana University College, Horana’s dominance in the Junior Boys division with golds from Binul Dulanga Naranayana (46kg), Janindu Dhananjaya Wickrama Arachchilage (48kg), and Nehan Prasanna Kularathna (54kg).
Royal and St. Sylvester’s began the finals on an inauspicious note when Ahsan Ahmedh (52kg) and T.M.R.L. Thennakoon (56kg) respectively suffered losses in the Youth Boys category to Nilusha Deshan Thathsara and Deshan Thathsara Lokumanage of Nalanda College, Colombo.
All-Island National School Games Girls champions K. Monisha, B. Sonali, Lakmini Lasanthika (Coach and Principal), N. Miloniya, Iresha Madhushani
Mohamad Azhar (Youth Boy 69kg) won a tough duel against L.D.D. Rashmika of Dombagoda Seelarathana MV by unanimous points decision to win the first gold medal for St. Sylvester’s.
When the business end of the tournament began with the Senior Boys contests, St. Sylvester’s suffered another setback when favourite and Novices Best Boxer S.P.P. Angelo (52kg) was out of sorts against Ryan Nirmal Weerasekera of Trinity College, Kandy with his corner throwing in the towel in the third round. Weerasekera displayed superb technique and ringcraft unleashing crisp combinations to dominate the contest.
Boys Best Boxer Thenuwan Bandara Meegalla of Royal College
Girls Best Boxer Chathuni Jagathya Siriwardena of Hemamali GS, Kandy
St. Sylvester’s sealed their victory with Sadun Kavinshka Heshan’s unanimous win (60kg), along with impressive performances by Deshan Jayasundara (64kg) and Vimarshana Heshan Jayasinghe (69kg), a 2023 youth international gold medallist. St. Sylvester’s remarkable showing underscores their reign in school boxing, firmly holding the Stubbs Shield for another year.
Royal’s heavyweights, Malith Bandara Kandegedara (75kg) and Sahan Perera (81kg), secured wins in their divisions, helping Royal secure the second spot.
The Girls’ division saw standout performances from Northern Province boxers Loganathan Kagenthiny of Poonthodam Vidyalam, Vavuniya, and Zithayakumar Kerthana of Gamini National School, Vavuniya, while G.G.N.A. Gimhani of Sri Pragnarathne Central College, Geli Oya scored an upset in the Youth Girls category, defeating Punsara Thiththagala of Hemamali Girls College.
In the Juniors Girls category, M.D.C.S. Mayadunne (50kg) of Prajapathi Girls College, Horana was at the receiving end of a contentious points decision against T.D.I. Madushani of Siri Perakum Vidyalaya, Kotagala. However, S.M.N. Miloniya (46kg) and U.B. Sonali (48kg) were convincing winners for the school from Nuwara Eliya.