Adheesha, Prasath brothers shine at Junior Scrabble Nationals
View(s):Prasath brothers – Udhev and Krishiv – earned the major honours while Adheesha Dissanayake retained his crown at the Junior National Scrabble Championships concluded last Sunday at the Sasakawa Hall in Colombo. Udhev Prasath maintained an unbeaten record to finish as the undisputed champion of the Under-15 category, while his younger brother Krishiv accounted for the Under-12 championship, as Adheesha Dissanayake emerged the Junior National Champion, following an impressive run.
The Under-20 category, which determines the overall Junior National Champion, saw close competition among experienced players. Adheesha Dissanayake won the division, finishing two wins ahead of the rest of the field. Sachiv Prasath and Tharin Kariyawasam were placed second and third respectively.
Adheesha Dissanayake receiving his title
Junior Scrabble champion Adheesha Dissanayake (right) and the Prasath brothers, Krishiv (left) and Udhev (centre)
Adheesha, who also won the Under-20 title last year, currently holds the Asian Youth Scrabble Championship title and has represented Sri Lanka seven times at the World Youth Scrabble Championships, with top-five finishes in each of the past three years. He is set to compete at the World Championships in Ghana later this year.
Udhev Prasath, finish unbeaten to take first place of the Under-15 category as Aathif Kamil and Devinu Balasooriya were placed second and third respectively with seven wins each from nine rounds. The division included several players from the national and emerging youth squads.
In the Under-12 category, introduced this year, 7-year-old Krishiv Prasath, Udhev’s younger brother, won all his games to claim the title. Tehash Kodikara and Chehan Jayaweera finished second and third respectively. The division included players aged between seven and 11 years of age, many of whom were competing at national level for the first time.
The tournament was organised by the Scrabble Federation of Sri Lanka, with regional qualifiers held in the Western, Southern, Central, and North Western provinces earlier this year. Over 750 players took part in the qualifiers, with the top performers competing in the finals across the Under-12, Under-15 and Under-20 categories.
Each division had 48 participants, including members of the past two national youth teams. The finals were directed by Dr. Janidu Karunaratne, a former international player. The prize giving was attended by Shaila Amalean, President of the Sri Lanka Scrabble League.