Dutiful Usaith did his part, now it’s up to the ones at the helms
Yazmin Usaith has shattered expectations. The 20-year-old middleweight boxer from St. Sylvester’s Boxing Club in Kandy recently claimed an Asian silver medal at the ASBC Asian Under-22 and Youth Boxing Championship at Colombo’s Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. This achievement marks the first time in 14 years that a Sri Lankan boxer has reached such heights in the 75kg division.This was no fluke. It came after 11 gruelling days of blood, sweat, and blistering fights.
Usaith entering the ring to compete in teh 75kg final
Usaith took down strong boxers from Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan before facing a fearsome Kazakh in the final. It was a battle of fire and steel over three intense rounds. He fought with heart and pride but lacked the international experience his opponent had. Still, Usaith stood tall with a silver medal around his neck — a prize Sri Lanka hasn’t seen in years in this weight category. He has done what seemed impossible. His domestic dominance tells an even more compelling story. In a single year, Usaith won every available medal in the 75kg middleweight class. He fought in seven meets and grabbed all seven gold medals. No boxer in Sri Lanka has been able to match his prowess him in the 75kg weight class. His fists speak louder than the Sports Ministry’s promises.
His coach, Jamitha Gayan Bandara, has been grooming Usaith for the past two years at St. Sylvester’s Boxing Club and explains the dilemma over USaith future.
“He’s the best middleweight we have, but there’s no one left to fight here. Every day he spars with players below standard. How can he sharpen his skills like this?” Bandara questioned.
“If we want to aim for an Olympic medal, he must be sent to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, or another top boxing country for at least a year. If not, we will lose him like many others before.”
The coach’s words echo a familiar refrain in Sri Lankan boxing circles: “We build them, and then they fade away.” Despite official proclamations about talent development, promising fighters like Usaith receive minimal institutional support. There are no comprehensive nutrition programs, no overseas training opportunities, and no travel allowances. The financial burden falls entirely on families and coaches who are already stretched thin.
Usaith’s father has shouldered this responsibility alone. “I’ve spent what I have and don’t have. It’s a heavy burden, but what can a father do? He loves boxing. He bleeds for this country. He deserves a chance,” he says, emotion evident in his voice.
This Asian silver medal should be a loud wake-up call for Sri Lanka’s sports authorities. If they can’t protect and build on the talent they already have, there’s no point hunting for new faces. Usaith has proved he has the fire, the body, and the heart to fight with Asia’s best. But without proper support, he will fade like the champions before him.
The time has come for the Sports Ministry to avoid its act of hiding behind press conferences and dusty speeches, as the boxing ring is not a place for empty promises. It’s a bloody sport where fighters break bones and bleed for their national flag, a part Usaith has done dutifully. Or will his commitment end up as just another tale among hundreds, where praises have led to empty echoes and lost dreams.