24th July 2016 03:08:14 Hours
Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva, impressed with the World Champion achievements of Army shooters in the Small Bore Light Rifle and Small Bore Silhouette Rifle categories in the International Metallic Silhouette Shooting Union (IMSSU) Championship Tournament - 2016 in South Africa invited the Army members to his office Thursday (21) morning in order to express his appreciation and offer congratulations.
Captain P.K.J.S Gayanga of the Army securing 3 Gold Medals became the World’s No 1 under three specific categories; Small Bore Light (Gold Medal), Small Bore Silhouette (Gold Medal) and Small Bore Light Rifle - Open Sight (Gold Medal). In addition, Sri Lanka won the Bronze Medal in the Big Bore Rifle category of the IMSSU World Championship - 2016 during the same tournament.
Five Army members in the victorious team, Brigadier D.S.D Welikala, Major C.S Rathnayake, Captain P.K.J.S Gayanga, Warrant Officer I.N Weerasinghe and Corporal K.P Gunawardena, together with Major General Milinda Peiris, Chief of Staff, Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, President, National Rifle Association of Sri Lanka and Brigadier N.D.S.P Niwunhella, Chairman, Sri Lanka Army Small Arms Association arrived at the Commander’s Office at his invitation.
Mr Anil Gunawardene (Magnum SSC), Mr W.M.S Manikdiwela (Hill Country SSC) and Master Ishara Abeyasuriya (Magnum SSC) were the other participants in the Championship Tournament representing civil sector firing clubs.
Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva extending his warm greetings on their achievements spoke to them separately and inquired into their future prospects and other training requirements, etc.
Appreciative of their performances in the tournament, in spite of shortcomings, the Commander gave away certificates of appreciation to all five of them, commending the honour and the dignity they brought home, having emerged world champions in those categories in the prestigious IMSSU tournament.
Shooters of the 8-member strong Sri Lanka National Shooting Team, comprised of 5 Army personnel became world champions in Small Bore Light Rifle and Small Bore Silhouette Rifle categories in the International Metallic Silhouette Shooting Union (IMSSU) World Championship - 2016. It concluded on Saturday (16) in South Africa.
Sri Lanka won 38 Medals (Gold, Silver & Bronze) in the tournament. They arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday (18) to a rousing welcome, organized by the National Rifle Association of Sri Lanka (NRASL).
Mr S.E.R.T.M.S.P Bandara, Director General Sports, Ministry of Sports and Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, President NRASL, Brigadier N.D.S.P Niwunhella, Chairman, Sri Lanka Army Small Arms Association, Brigadier Pooraka Seneviratne, Vice President, NRASL and several other Ministry officials were at the airport to receive and congratulate them on their arrival on Monday (18).
