Wijekoon and Abeysekera clinch Masters’ titles at Badminton Nationals

Women’s Double winner Hasini Ambalangodage and Kavindi Sirimannage   

By Susil Premalal

Former national champion Niroshan Wijekoon and Vipuli Abeysekera won the Masters’ (55) singles titles at the 68th National Badminton Championship concluded at three venues. Wijekoon defeated Nihal Amarasena in straight sets 21-16, 21-14 while Abeysekera beat Enoka Jayalath 21-4, 21-9 to win the men’s and women’s singles (50) titles respectively.  
The five-day event which saw some exciting finales being played on Sunday at the Sri Lanka Badminton Headquarters, the Mercantile Badminton Association courts and Otter Aquatic Club. 

Results of finals (seedings in brackets)

Boys’ Singles U-15: Pulina Wellalage [1] bt Shenuk Samararatne [2] 21-13, 21-12   
Girls’ Singles U-15: Varangana Jayawardana [1] bt Pawani Premarathna [2] 27-25, 21-18   
Boys’ Doubles U-15: Shenuk Samararatne, Pulina Wellalage [1] bt Thilina Rajakaruna, Thesath Rajapakse [3] 21-8, 21-6  
Girls’ Doubles U-15: Dinethya Jayindi, Dewni Ubesiriwardhana [3] bt Varangana Jayawardana, Neily Tennakoon [2] 21-9, 15-21, 21-11  
Boys’ Singles U-17: Aashinsa Herath [4] bt Sachen Fernando [3] 22-20, 23-2  
Girls’ Singles U-17: Dasithma Jayathilaka bt Pravina Wijesundara [2] 21-16, 21-9  
Girls’ Doubles U-17: Tisuni Midara, Senuji Umagiliyage [2] bt Isuri De Alwis, Natasha Gunasekara [1] 21-12, 24-26, 21-14  
Boys’ Singles U-19: Dumindu Abeywickrama [1] bt Thenuka de Silva [2] 21-9, 21-9  
Girls’ Singles U-19: Jananuwani Amanda [1] bt Ashini Fernando 21-18, 21-1  
Boys’ Doubles U-19: Lochana de Silva, Thulith Palliyaguru [1] bt Madhubhanu Kariyawasam, Oshamika Karunarathna 21-16, 21-10  
Girls’ Doubles U-19: Jananuwani Amanda, Yeheni Kuruppu bt Sasini Hansamali, Thiyana Vidanaarachchi 24-22, 19-21, 21-9  
Men’s Singles 35: Hasitha Chanaka bt Nalin Fernando [2] 21-11, 21-7  
Men’s Singles 40: Subash Janaka [5] bt Iranda Samaranayake [3] 21-19, 9-21, 21-17  
Women’s Singles 40: Priyanka Abeyratne [1] bt Thushari Brahamanage [2] 21-6, 21-17  
Men’s Doubles 40: Thanuja Liyanage, Nihan Ranasinghe bt Shimal Aponso, Saminda Katapearachchi [4] 16-21, 21-15, 21-14   
Men’s Singles 45: Upendra Jayawardena [2] bt C A D Samantha [1] 21-11, 21-15  
Men’s Doubles 45: Clarence Homer, Upendra Jayawardena [1] bt Senaka Attanayaka, C A D Samantha 21-9, 21-14   
Men’s Singles 50: Niroshana Wijekoon [1] bt Nihal Amarasena [2] 21-16, 21-14   
Women’s Singles 50: Vipuli Abeysekara bt Enoka Jayalath 21-4, 21-9  
Men’s Doubles 50: Kamal Gamlath, V. D. K. Kaluarachchi bt Nihal Amarasena, Darshana Senarathna [1] 21-14, 21-7  
Women’s Doubles 50: Vipuli Abeysekara, Kaushali Dissanayake [1] bt Enoka Jayalath, Lakshmi Punchihewa 21-7, 21-16   
Men’s Singles 55: K. G. Rohan Fernando bt Jayath Wickramasinghe [4] 16-21, 21-15, 21-18  
Men’s Doubles 55: Rohan Fernando, Niranjan Wijesekara [1] bt Anil De Silva, Aruna Krishantha 21-8, 21-10   
Men’s Singles 60: W A Ariyasena [2] bt Louie Karunaratne [1] w.o.  
Men’s Doubles 60: Lakshman Joseph, Saliya Pathiraja bt W A Ariyasena, Arul Muthukumar [2] 21-8, 21-17  
Men’s Singles 65: Sunil Jayasiri [1] bt Ajith Wijesinghe 15-21, 21-13, Ret.  
Men’s Doubles 65: L. G. Amaratunga, Gamini Jayawardana bt Rohan de Silva, Ajith Wijesinghe [2] 21-14, 20-22, 21-13  
Plate Men’s Singles: Gehan Moses bt Hansa de Silva 23-21, 21-19  
Plate Women’s Singles: Minanga Anujini bt Eranga Jayasinghe 21-14, 21-7