Niluka Karunaratne and 19-year year old Dilmi Dias from Our Lady of Victories Convent Moratuwa came through with flying colours to win three titles each at the 67th and 37th National Badminton Championships which concluded yesterday at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. Niluka recorded his 16th National title victory when he trounced Ranthuska Karunatilleke in a comfortable manner beating him in straight sets 2-0 to go away with the Senior National title.
Dilmi too had a very easy win to take the National title for the first and in addition to her National title victory she also came up with two brilliant performances to win the under 19 junior title and the under 19 Doubles title partnering Anurangi Maskorala.
Dilmi proved that she is one with a bright future capable of bringing honor to the country in the future.
The victory achieved by Niluka saw the Karunaratne family taking away the National Championships for 19 consecutive years with three victories achieved by his brother Dinuka.
It was a very lucky day for the Karunratne family as Niluka and their father too were able to record two wins in separate events. Niluka speaking to the Observer stated that he won the first National title at the age of sixteen and today the 16th title exactly after sixteen years which he considers as a coincidence.
Dilmi was declared as the Junior National Champion as well as the Open National Champion.
In the Junior girls category Sangamitta BMV, Galle took the Junior team Championship while in the boys category Nalanda College were Junior Champions.
Director General of the Sports Ministry Dhammika Muthugala was present as the chief on the occasion.
Results Men:
Doubles- 65+ - Rohan de Silva/Sunil Jayasiri beat Gamini Jayasuriy/Thilak Perera
Singles 65+ Sunil Jayasiri beat Rohan de Silva
Doubles 60+ - Louise Karunaratne/Nandana Premachandra beat Azar Hamdoon/Mohan Wijesinghe
Singles 60+ - Louis Karunaratne beat Ruwan Chandratilleke
Doubles 55+ -Rohan Fernando/ Niranjan Wijesekera beat Lalindra Silva/Suresh Thavaraja
Singles 55+ Rohan Fernando beat Senaka Wickramasinghe
Singles 50+ Niroshan Wijekoon beat beat Nihal Amarasena
Singles 45+ - Upendra Jayawardena beat Clarence Homer
Doubles 40+ - Subash Abeyratne/Duminda Jayakody beat Randika Peiris/Nihan Ranasinghe
Singles 40+ Subash Janaka beat Sanka Illeperuma
Singles 35+ - Hemantha Kodithuwakku beat Nalin Fernando
Women 40+ Priyanka Abeyratne/Chandrika de Silva beat Vipuli Abeysekera/Kaushali Dissanayake
U19 Doubles - Lochana de Silva/Thulith Palliyaguru beat Deeyagu Kahatapitiya/Lakindu Ranaweera
U 19 Singles - Lochana de Silva beat Thulith Palliyaguru
U 17 doubles - Thenuka de Silva/Viren Nettasinghe beat Tharusha Madhubandu/Oshamika Sathruwan
U17 Singles Viren Nettasinghe beat Sethum Perera
U 15 Doubles - Luwin Kodippilli/Vidush Sumanadasa beat Sachen Fernando/Pavith Jayatilleke
U 15 Singles – Vidush Sumanadasa beat Sachen Fernando
U 13 Doubles – Pamith Attanayake/Thidasa Weragoda beat Sanuda Ariyasinghe/Ranthuka Rupathunga
U13 Singles – Akindu Methmika beat Dilanka Indusara
U 11 Singles - Senuth Perera beat Wedhaka Gomes
U 19 Singles –Dilmi Dias beat Jananuwani Alwis
U 17 Doubles – Panchali Adikari/Manudi Mithara beat Yeheni Kuruppu/Aishwarya Ravichandran
U 17 Singles – Panchali Adikari beat Yehani Kuruppu
U 15 doubles – Maneesha Abhimani/Samindi Onel beat Nethmi Nagahawatte/Thevni Wijesooriya
U 15 Singles – Pravina Wijesundar beat Senuji Umagiliyage
Women Doubles – Sachin Ratnasiri/Upuli Werarsinghe beat Tisuni Midara Senuji/Umagiliyage
Men’s Doubles – Dinuka Karunaratne/ Niluka Karunaratne beat Lochana de Silva/Thulith Palliyaguru
Women Singles - Dilmi Dias beat Achini Ratnasiri
Men’s Plate Championship - Kaveesha Muthukuda beat Muthurjan
Men’s Singles Championship – Niluka Karunaratne beat Ranthshka Karunatilleke