Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Navy, Vijaya Matale and Pushpadana Girls Kandy bagged major honours at the 18th People’s Bank Super Hockey Sevens 2011 for clubs and schools concluded at the Asgiriya Stadium, Kandy.

The two day annual hockey fiesta in the Hill Capital organized by the Seetha Devi Girls School Kandy and sponsored by the People’s Bank attracted 26 club teams and 48 school teams this year.

Men’s Club Championship: Sri Lanka Air Force (A) beat SL Air Force (B) 3-1 in the final after the loser’s led 1-0 at lemons. National player Dhammika Abeyratne, K.S.S. Perera and N.D. B. Dissanayake netted a goal each to give Air Force (A) a 3-1 win. C. Kumara scored the only goal for Air Force (B).

Women’s Club Championship: SL Navy won the championship for the second time by defeating Seetha Devi SC Kndy 3-2 on penalties. The women’s final ended in a one all draw at the end of regulation time with Buddhika Nelum Kumari scoring for SL Navy in the first half and Chaturangani Inosha for Seetha Devi SC in the second half. In the Penalty Tie breaker Navy edged out their opponents 3-12.

Boys Schools Championship: Vijaya Matale bat Nalanda Colombo 3-0 in the final. Amila Ratnasiri, Buddhika Naveen and Sithum Sithara netted a goal each to annex the boy’s title.

Girls Schools Championship
Pushpadana Girls Kandy won the girls title by outplaying their home town rivals Seetha Devi Girls School Kandy 2-0 in the final.

Lakmini Wijesundara (first half) and Jeevanthi Jayaratne (second half) netted a goal each.
Outstanding Players: Men: Dhammika Abeyratne (Air Force ‘A’); Best Goalkeeper: Tusitha Ratnasiri (Air Force ‘A’).

Women: Best Player: Chaturika Wijesuriya (Navy)’ Best Goalkeeper: Jeevanthie Keerthiratne (Navy).
Boys: Best Player: Amila Ratnasiri (Vijaya Matale); Best Goalkeeper: D. Tenne (Vijaya Matale).
Girls: Best Player: Lakmini Wijesundara (Pushpadana Girls Kandy); Best Goalkeeper: Nirmani De Silva (Seetha Devi Girls Kandy).

Mr. M.A. Boniface Silva, Assistant General Manager People’s Bank (Western Region) was the chief guest. - Pix and Text by L.D. Chandrasiri MATALE