Security Forces Headquarters - Jaffna (SFHQ-J) on Friday (6) extended a warm welcome to Jaffna’s under 15 winners of the National Handball Trophy when they returned to the peninsula after their victory at national level in Colombo.

The reception ceremony, organized under the auspices of Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe, Commander, SFHQ-J, began after those winners and coaches were hosted to lunch at the Gurunagar Ceynor Jetty after their arrival in Jaffna from Colombo.

Handball was introduced to Jaffna schools by Sri Lanka Army Handball Association (SLABA) coaches under the guidance of Lieutenant Colonel Raja Gunasekara, Vice President, Sri Lanka Handball Federation and Sri Lanka Army Handball Association during a training programme conducted recently exclusively for selected students in the peninsula.

The final national competition at Sri Jayawardenapura Buddhadasa grounds during July 4-5 gave the victory to the Chullipuram Victoria College Handball team after close tussles with several down south school teams. In addition, Wadukkodai Jaffna College and Jaffna Central College teams succeeded in entering the second round of the competition, showing their skills.   

Lance Corporal H.M.A.S. Senevirathne and Private B.D. Dhananjaya of SLABA worked hard to train Jaffna schoolboys in order to win this national recognition, enabling the team to carry away the National School Handball Championship Trophy. Interest, shown by students and principals of those schools towards the sport served an incentive to Army coaches.

The brief welcome ceremony at the Jaffna Civil Affairs and Public Relations Office which coordinated their participation in the National Event saw each and every member of the Handball team garlanded before a large gathering of well-wishers and school mates in recognition their achievement.

SFHQ-J organized free transport and meals for all three teams who proceeded to Colombo from the peninsula.