Royal’s Matheesha and Ladies’ Nethmi bag top titles at Junior Squash Nationals
View(s):Both players were also named Junior National Boys’ Player of the Year and Junior National Girls’ Player of the Year. In the Girls’ Under-19 final, Nethmi overcame Ranliya Wood of Lindsay Girls’ School to take the gold medal, while Akeesa D. Samaranayake of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya settled in at third place.
(From left) Most Promising Players Thesath Hapuarachci and Chanumi Thebuwana with Junior National Players of the Year Nethmi Wickramasinghe and Matheesha Wijesekara with their respective awards
In the Boys’ Under-19, Matheesha defeated his teammate Tharul Pinwatta in an all-Royal College final, with Mohamed Rilwan of St. Joseph’s College securing third position.
The Girls’ Under-17 title went to Ifra Shasmin Booso of St. Paul’s Girls’ School, who defeated Nethmi of Ladies’ College. Sithumli Ruhansa Mendis of Gateway College took the third place.
The Boys’ Under-17 crown was claimed by Manuth Sandira Dassanayake of Gateway College, who beat Royal’s Kemitha Hapuarachchi in the final. Ranuka Pilapitiya of Royal College finished at third.
In the Girls’ Under-15 category, Gateway College’s Chanumi Nimthara Thebuwena overcame Ifra Shasmin to take gold, while Sithumli of Gateway added another bronze to her tally. The Boys’ Under-15 title also went to Manuth Dassanayake of Gateway College, who defeated Nevan Rubasinghe of Royal College. Sasen Amarasinghe of Royal College finished at third.
The Girls’ Under-13 final saw Dinithma Mihely of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya overcome Nethanya Wickramasinghe of Ladies’ College, while Taveesha Goonasekera of Gateway College came in at third. The Boys’ Under-13 event was won by K.M. Akayne Konara of S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia, who beat Haashid Ameer Noordeen of Louvre College. Danuja Sethsara Jayasinghe of Ananda Sastralaya Kotte, was placed third.
In the Girls’ Under-11, Dheerya Mithali Silva of Vishaka Vidyalaya captured the title by defeating Sayuri de Silva of Ladies’ College. Thinalee Daswatte of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya finished at third. The Boys’ Under-11 title went to Ranuk Mendis of Gateway College, who overcame Kenula Hirusara of D.S. Senanayake College. Mohamed Sudaiq Shiraz of the British School in Colombo, secured the third place.
In the Girls’ Under-9, Siyathi Gunathilaka of Vishaka Vidyalaya topped the field, beating Sanuli Yahasna Godagampala of Sumedha College, Gampaha. Swyree de Silva of Ladies’ College was placed third. The Boys’ Under-9 gold went to Pranam Akshna Abeysinghe of Royal College, who defeated M. Shoaib Dean of D.S. Senanayake College, while Lithula Dahampath Ranthilu of Sumedha College, Gampaha, took the bronze.
While Nethmi Wickramasinghe of Ladies’ College and Matheesha Wijesekara of Royal College bagged the Junior National Girl’s Player and Junior National Boy’s Player of the Year awards respectively, Chanumi Nimthara Thebuwena of Gateway College and Thesath Kemitha Hapuarachchi of Royal College were named the Most Promising Junior Girls Player and Most Promising Junior Boys Player of the Year.