Veteran interantional boxing official from Sri Lanka Nishantha Dharmadasa emerged as the Best Judge at the SBC Asian U22 & Youth Boxing Championships in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

It was a proud moment for Nishantha, a retired Air Force officer, who followed in the illustrious footsteps of his illustrious father K.V. Dharmadasa, a former president of the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka. Fuad Aslanov of Azerbaijan was adjudged the Best Referee during the tournament held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium from May 12 to 23 with the participation of 23 countries and over 200 boxers.

Sri Lanka won a record number of 23 medals including five silver and 18 bronze. Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, French Polynesia, IBA-India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, IBAPakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam were the 23 participating nations in this championship.

Meanwhile, the Oceanian Boxing Confederation expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the amazing opportunity that their boxers could participate in this tournament.

Australia and New Zealand claimed medals among the Oceanian boxers in the competition.

The President of the Oceanian Boxing Confederation Tauhiti Nena sent an emotional letter to the Asian Boxing Confederation underlining the importance of the ASBC competitions.

“This event has not only allowed our athletes to showcase their talent and bring home 3 bronze medals; but it has also been a significant stepping stone in their boxing careers. The experience gained from competing at such a high level is invaluable, helping them to evolve as boxers and bringing them closer to their dreams. Moreover, your support sends a powerful message to the Oceania boxing community, demonstrating that IBA stands behind our athletes and that boxing truly unites us across continents. This solidarity is essential for the growth and development of our sport, and it inspires our boxers to strive for excellence,” stated Tauhiti Nena in his letter.

New Zealand’s No.1 Roman Viney bagged a bronze medal in Colombo while Australia’s Jake Van Rooyen (U22, 67kg) and Aden Nedanovski (youth, 71kg) achieved bronze medals as well. (AO)