Army-Sponsored ‘National Squash Championship - 2017’ Achievers Awarded Cash Gifts

Final matches of the Army sponsored 37th ‘National Squash Competition - 2017’ tournament got underway on Tuesday (19) at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, Colombo.

More than one hundred squash players at national level showcased their talents in the series of matches held during December 16 - 19 at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, Colombo.

This year’s ‘National Squash Competition - 2017’ was sponsored by the Sri Lanka Army for the first time in the history as an encouragement for sports development in the country.

The 37th national championship organised by Sri Lanka Squash in coordination with the authorities of Ministry of Sports and Army Squash Committee kickedoff under eight categories.

Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, Commander of the Army as the Chief Guest attended the prize awarding and closing ceremony of the National Squash Tournament on Tuesday (19).

The overall Men’s and Women’s open Championship of the tournament was secured by Mr Ravindu Laksarana and Ms Mihiliya Methsarani respectively. Those two achievers were given away Rs 50,000/= each as incentives by the Commander of the Army as the Chief Guest on the same occasion.

Brigadier Indrajith Vidyananda, Chairman, Sri Lanka Army Squash Committee, Brigadier Anura Sudasinghe, Director Sports at the Army Headquarters, Air Commodore A. Abeysekara (Rtd), Chairman, National Squash Association and Commander, W.S.P Jayawardene (Rtd), Secretary, National Squash Association jointly launched the arrangements in this connection.

Squash was initially introduced by the British to the country in 1906 and it was only in 1981 that the sport was recognised as a professional sport in the country patronised under the Ministry of Sports and accredited under the Asian Squash Federation. Since then the Sri Lanka Squash Federation has been taking part in every Asian Senior and Junior Championships in both men’s and women’s categories annually conducted by the Asian Squash Federation. Sri Lanka also hosted the Asian Junior Championships in 1991 in Colombo.

Major General Dampath Fernando, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Army Headquarters and few more tri-service Senior Officers witnessed the final matches.