Top shuttlers in action at Nationals | Daily News

Top shuttlers in action at Nationals

All top ranking shuttlers are expected to take part at the National Badminton championship which will commence today and will continue untill January 22 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. The seven day event will be conducted by the Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) headed by Rohan de Silva. Record number of shuttlers are in action at this year's tournament while juniors from schools will also take part in this event.

The defending champion Buwaneka Gunatilleka, Sachin Dias, Rasindu Hendahewa and two promising shuttlers Vien Nettasinghe from St Peter's Bambalapitiya and Dumindu Abeywickrama of Royal, Colombo are the key players of the open men's singles while Thilini Hendahewa and Kavindu Sirimanage and 16-year-old Ranithma Liyanage of Christ Church College Amabalangoda are the key players of women's section.

The former National champion Dinuka Karunaratne younger brother of Niluka came back home from UK but due to his illness he is not sure of taking part in this event.

Sanjeewa Wijesekera the chief match referee and his assistant Samantha Nawaratne and other qualified match umpires and referees will assist at this event while international match referee Ajith Wijayasinghe and Tournament Director Rohana de Silva who is also an international match referee will coordinate to make the event a success.

The opening ceremony will be held today morning at 8.30a.m while the closing ceremony will be held on final day.

Meanwhile SLB made successful completion of National Umpire Accreditation Course and over 75 umpires took part in the course,conducted by the Sri Lanka Badminton at the National Institute of Sport Science, Colombo.

The two-day course, held in conjunction with the National Championship, saw umpires from every part of the country taking part.


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