Robert Wellington, a name synonymous with Sri Lanka boxing since 1999, has made a significant return to the boxing arena as a technical official.
His return as a Draw Commissioner at the 48th National Sports Festival boxing held at Torrington Indoor Sports Complex in Racecourse was highly appreciated.
Boxing has been in Wellington’s blood from an early age. Wellington was drawn to the sport, following in the footsteps of Sri Lanka’s Asia Championship gold medallist and 1968 Mexico Olympian HK Karunaratne of the Army. Under the guidance of legendary coaches like DC Wickremasinghe of Sinha Amateur Boxing Club and Wolsley Fonseka of Zahira BC, Wellington honed his skills and developed a deep understanding of boxing.
In 1973, Wellington joined the Navy with a clear ambition: to become the Best Recruit. He achieved this goal, topping his batch during the first phase of training before being drafted into the Navy boxing pool at Welisara.
Wellington transitioned into boxing administration, becoming a national referee in 1999. His keen interest in the administrative side of boxing led him to work closely with stalwarts like DDC Munasinghe, KV Dharmadasa, and Thilak Perera.
After briefly serving overseas in the Oman Navy, Wellington continued to distinguish himself as a boxing jury member until 2019, overseeing and conducting local meets with efficiency.
With nearly 25 years of experience in boxing administration, Wellington seamlessly resumed his role, assigning officials and ensuring the smooth conduct of the meet.
Wellington’s invaluable contributions have been recognised by the Referees and Judges Commission of the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka. His passion, discipline, and dedication serve as an example to the new generation of technical officials, who look up to him with respect and admiration as an elder statesman of Sri Lankan boxing. (AO)
