Sri Lankan fighters shine with 10 medals at International Thai Martial Arts Festival
View(s):Sri Lanka brought home a remarkable tally of 10 medals, including three gold, four silver, and three bronze in Muaythai and boxing events.
The gold medals were won by boxers A.A. Sahlan, M.R.M. Shahal and Sasen Kalubowila, who were gallant in their performances in the ring. Sahlan claimed the gold medal in the Under-16 57kg category, as Shahal went on to claim the gold of the same weight category in the Under-14 age group. Sasen pocketed the gold medal in the Under-18 60kg category.
Sri Lankan athletes who successfully claimed 10 medals after completing their mission in Bangkok
The four silver medals, two each from muaythai and boxing, were won by Yansilu Dinanjaya, Tisara Anjana, M.I.M. Imaan and Sandesh Theekshana. Yansilu claimed the Under-18 67kg category in muaythaui amateur while Tisara’s silver medal came in the Senior 51kg muaythai pro-am segment. While pugilist Imaan claimed his silver medal in the Under-14 63.4kg category, Sandesh emerged the runner-up in the Senior 91kg category.
Kumudu Prasanna, Chamath Rajapaksha and Rusiru Ranganath, all muaythai athletes, claimed bronze medals representing the Senior category. Kumudu, who competed under the Professional category, claimed his bronze medal in the 63.5kg, while Chamath and Rusiru, both competing under Amateur, claimed their medals in the 81kg and 71kg weight classes.
The coaching team included Nuwan Dhananjaya, Yasas Withanage, Chamil Nishantha, and Kumudu Prasanna who did an exceptional task in preparing the athletes. According to the Secretary General of WMBF, WMO and UBF Sri Lanka, this outstanding achievement is the result of the unwavering and collective dedication of the coaching staff and the athletes, mutual support among team members, and the strong team spirit displayed throughout the competition.
Arjarn Dushantha Perera, who represented Sri Lanka as the National Director and Head Coach for WMBF (Muay Boran), WMO (Professional Muaythai), UBF (Boxing), and KMA (Kru Muaythai Association), played a key role in guiding the team to international success.
In recognition of his over 22-year close and cordial relationship with Senior Grand Master Woody, founder of ITMA Games, Perera has been granted the honour of hosting the next Asian International and Thai Martial Arts Championship in Sri Lanka in 2026. The concluded competition brought together over 600 athletes from more than 50 countries, making it one of the most competitive events of its kind globally.