32nd Asian Junior Squash Individual Championship Sri Lanka Junior team off to Korea

The Sri Lanka Junior Nationa squash team

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya

The Sri Lanka Junior National Squash team will take wing to South Korea to take part in 32nd Asian Junior Squash Individual Championship scheduled to be held from July 1 to 5 at Gimcheon Squash Stadium.

The Championship is organised by Korea Squash Federation under the supervision of Asian squash Federation and will feature all top Asian squash nations and will be crucial for Sri Lankan players to gain exposure and improve their standards.  

The Sri Lankan contingent comprises top junior players from both Boys and Girls categories from U13,U15, U17, and U19 age groups. 

Haashid Ameer Noordeen from Louvre College, Pannipitiya and Dinithma Mihely from Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Colombo 7 will be the top players in the U13 age group while Manuth Sandira Dassanayake from Gateway College, Colombo, Nevan Rubasinghe from Royal College, Colombo 7 and Ifra Shasmin Booso from St. Paul’s Girls School, Milagiriya will be the top players in the U15 age group with Nevan Rubasinghe being seeded 18th in his age group.

Kemitha Hapuarachchi from Royal College, Colombo 7, Nethmi Hiranya Wickramasinghe from Ladies’ College, Colombo 7 and Dinuli Alahapperuma from Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo 4 will be the top players from U17 age group with Dinuli Alahapperuma being seeded 18th in her age group.

Junior National Champion Matheesha Wijesekara and Tharul Pinwatta, both from Royal College, Colombo 7 and Akeesa D Samaranayake from Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Colombo 7 will represent Sri Lanka as top players in the U19 age group.

The team had gone through a one-month training programme under World Squash Federation certified coaching team headed by Gihan Suwaris and supported by Dinusha Priyadarshana. 

SLS Executive Committee member Cdr Prabath Dayarathne from Sri Lanka Navy and Indu Upamali from Sri Lanka Squash will officiate as Team managers while Sri Lanka Schools Association member N.A.H.W.P. Chandrasiri from Visaka Vidayala, Colombo 7 will support the team as the lady chaperone.