Over 300 enter for 26th Junior Squash Nationals …

Over 300 junior squash players will vie for honours at the 26th Junior Squash Nationals from December 5 to 12 at the Sugathadasa squash courts. The tournament is sponsored by the Ceylon Biscuits Ltd’s popular chocolate brand, Ritzbury for the ninth consecutive time this year.

The event will have 18 competition events including boys’ and girls’ age category events of U-9, U-11, U-13, U-15, U-17 and U-19 along with Novices age category events of U-11, U-15 and U-19.

Defending Junior National champions Ravindu Laksiri and Mihiliya Methsarani will fight it out to retain their crowns, but will receive a tough challenge from emerging youngsters. Both Ravindu and Mihiliya are the most experienced players in the junior circuit and also excelled in the Nationals as well. Ravindu and Mihiliya retained the junior crowns for three consecutive years from 2012. Creating history in local squash scene, SLSF has made arrangements with National Rupavahini Corporation to telecast the finals and award ceremony live on December 12.

Commenting on the sponsorship, Ceylon Biscuit Ltd Group General Manager- Marketing Theja Peiris said: “We partnered squash at a time the game was not very popular. Today I am so happy to see the development and the level of the sport. As a brand Ritzbury supports many school level sports including athletics, volleyball, football, cricket, hockey and squash. We believe sports help to mould people physically and mentally both which produce a good citizen.”

Sri Lanka Squash Federation (SLSF) president Suranjith Premadasa stated that within a short period of time after he assumed duties as president, they have been able to conduct several tournaments successfully.

“We strongly believe that squash should be popularized in outstations. We hope to introduce a new age category championship for the annual fleet and will build a portable fully glass squash court with the assistance of the Sport Ministry.

“We have high hopes of hosting the 2016 South Asian Games and by that time the glass court will be ready. It will greatly help to bring the sport to outstations as we will able to move the court to wherever we need,” he further stated.

SLSF secretary LCdr. Priyadarshana Jayawardana said: “We have about 28 affiliated clubs to SLSF, mainly located in Colombo and we hope to obtain permission for school children to use squash facilities owned by the three Forces and hotels, so that people will get attracted to the sport.

“Almost all the top players will participate in this year’s Junior Nationals and the tournament will be a talent search for mainly under-13 category as we hope to identify potential players for 2024 and 2028 Olympics,” he said

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