Peradeniya Central College regained the coveted Stubbs Shield after a gap of 23 years when they emerged champions at the All Island School Games Boxing tournament held at Jayatilleke Stadium in Nawalapitiya.
The competition was marred by controversial decisions which have plagued the sport not only in the country but at international level in the past decade, with many coaches venting their frustration at the Boxing Referees and Judges Association (BRJA). There were allegations that a coach had threatened some officials. A leading BRJA official said bad decisions were negligible considering over 200 bouts were held over four days and action was taken against some judges who erred. He also added there was no provision for bout review according to the latest amendment of international boxing regulations but they would take corrective measures if protests were lodged.
However, no inquiry was held to a bizarre incident of biting which took place during the competition. The boxer who lost got away scot free with just a warning.
This is only the third time Peradeniya CC clinched the blue riband of schools boxing in the 103-year-old history of the competition. They last clinched the shield in 1999 and were joint champions in 1983.
A school with a rich boxing history having produced outstanding boxers who shone at national and international level including 2008 Beijing Olympian Anuruddha Ratnayake and 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games referee Susantha Weerasena, Peradeniya CC proved their superiority when four of their six finalists won their weight classes.
Former champions Vidyartha College, Kandy were runners-up having three winners and a bronze medallist while Pallebola National School, Hanguranketa emerged as the surprise package of the tournament being placed third producing two gold and three silver medal winners.
Youth International Umayanga Mihiran, a product of Vidyarathena University College, Horana representing Nalanda College, Colombo, received the coveted Col TY Wright Challenge Cup awarded to the most scientific boxer of the meet. He outclassed HGKK Gunawardhana of Pallebola National School in the Senior Boys Under 52 kg weight class.
NPG Manoj Malisha Bandara of Pallebola National School who lost to BGD Piyathilaka of Peradeniya CC in the Senior Boys Under 49kg received the Best Loser’s award.
The meet was conducted by the Education Ministry in association with the Schools Boxing Association (SBA) with the participation of 85 schools but no medals or certificates were awarded for the first time in history. The tournament was held after a lapse of two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. SBA general secretary Jamitha Bandara said the ministry would be issuing certificates at a later date and medals were not given for any sport in the Games.
Results
Finals
Senior Boys:
Under 49kg: KWSMA Dasunpriya (Peradeniya Central College) beat SMIMS Faris (Trinity College, Kandy)
Under 52kg: GPU Mihiran (Nalanda College, Colombo) beat HGKK Gunawardhana (Pallebola National School, Hanguranketa)
Under 56kg: JID Ratnayake (Pallebola National School, Hanguranketa) beat D Sankalpa (Mahanama College, Colombo)
Under 60kg: CV Witharana (Deerananda MV, Pilimathalawa) beat WW Silva (Mahanama College, Colombo)
Under 64kg: HMER Abeysinghe (Vidyartha College, Kandy) beat NK Akalanka (Peradeniya Central College)
Under 69kg: YM Usaith (St Sylvester’s College, Kandy) beat AKGGN Amunupura (Kingswood College, Kandy)
Under 75kg: SJ Varsitha (Trinity College, Kandy) beat MGDS Jayasingha (Pallebola National School, Hanguranketa)
Under 81kg: KMTH Dasanayake (Kingswood College, Kandy) beat MRA Rahuman (St Sylvester’s College, Kandy)
YOUTH BOYS:
Under 49kg: BGD Piyathilaka (Peradeniya Central College) beat NPGMM Bandara (Pallebola National School, Hanguranketa)
Under 52kg: KGKM Karunasinghe (Deerananda MV, Pilimathalawa) beat SPP Angelo (St Sylvester’s College, Kandy)
Under 56kg: KGSK Heshan (Pallebola National School, Hanguranketa) beat EGPS Ranasingha (Peradeniya Central College)
Under 60kg: AGUH Jayasingha (St Sylvester’s College, Kandy) beat PK Malishka (Kamburupitiya MV, Matara)
Under 64kg: AKDH Wijesinghe (Vidyartha College, Kandy) beat RSK Roopasinghe (Pilimathalawa Central College)
Under 69kg: EMKM Bandara (Peradeniya Central College) beat WDSSN Hemachandra (Poramadulla National School, Hanguranketa)
Under 75kg: MR Keerthisinghe (Wattegama MMV) beat KMM Bandara (Asoka College, Horana)
Under 81kg: KGM Malsara (Koraboruwana MV, Matara) beat MAM Ammar (Jabbar National School, Galagedera)
YOUTH GIRLS:
Under 48kg: PMIS Panditharathna (Poramadulla National School) beat HDJ Ayesha (Karagoda Uyangoda National School)
Under 51kg: RR Priyadharshani (Dombagoda Seelarathan MV, Horana) beat KH Dimanthi (Don Pedric College, Horana)
Under 54kg: KMN Sandeepani (Korabaruwana MV, Matara) beat M Blasika (Sunthapuram Saraswathi Vidyalaya, Vavuniya)
Under 57kg: L Kajenthani (Thirungana Sampantha Vidyalaya, Vavuniya) beat SD Dilukshi Rupasinghe (Somadevi Vidyalaya, Kantalai)
Under 60kg: U Keerthana (Thirungana Sampanthan Vidyalaya, Vavuniya) beat HB Vihara Tharunethu (Methodist National School, Matara)
JUNIOR BOYS:
Under 46kg: WGSC Warnakulasooriya (Peradeniya Central College) beat MG Hasanka (Narandeniya MV, Kamburupitiya)
Under 48kg: AN Samarasekera (Karagoda Uyangoda National School) beat MNA Al Nazar (Sri Piyaratne National School, Padukka)
Under 50kg: HMP Dilshan (Vidyartha College, Kandy) beat AKD Abeysinghe (Kolonna National School)
Under 52kg: WRT Diaz (Sumana Saman MV, Ratnapura) beat KBG Samaranayaka (Deerananda MV, Pilimathalawa)
Under 54kg: T Asil (Zahira College, Colombo) beat KPL Chethana (Kingswood College, Kandy)