Commonwealth Games discard and women’s number one squash player Fathoum Issadeen proved a point to the keepers of the sport at the Air Force Open PSA Satellite Squash Championships worked off at the Squash Complex, SLAF Base Ratmalana that concluded last week.
In the Open women’s final the three-time national champion Fathoum, a former student of Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya, had no difficulty in overcoming Yeheni Kuruppu from Visakha Vidyalaya in straight sets.
In the men’s final Sri Lanka’s leading player Ravindu Laksiri the current and nine-times national champion maintained his true form by beating Farhan Zaman from Pakistan Air Force in a gruelling five setter.
Laksiri proved his recent win in the PSA international tour was no flash in the pan as he evolved with great grit and form. Tournament favourite was Zaman who was a gold medallist at the South Asian Games in 2016 took the first two sets 11/7, 11/9 and looked set to take the title away. But Laksiri pulled up his socks and with his concentration power and determination won the next three sets on 12/10, 13/11 and 11/6 to claim the Air Chief Marshall PH Mendis Challenge trophy.
Results
Women’s Open:
Winner – Fathoum Issadeen
Runner-up – Yeheni Kuruppu,
3rd Place – Chanithma Sinaly (Sirimavo BV)
Men’s Open:
Winner – Ravindu Laksiri
Runner-up – Farhan Zaman (Pakistan Air Force)
3rd Place – Shamil Wakeel
(Girls)
U-15: Winner - Punsara Nirushi Wickramasinghe (Anula Nugegoda)
Runner-up – Nethmi Wickramasinghe (Ladies’ College)
3rd Place – Ifra Shasmin Booso (St. Paul’s)
U-17: Winner - Adhithi Gunasekera (Ladies’ College)
Runner-up – Irudinithi Wood (Lindsay BV)
3rd Place – Miyuni Misara Weerasinghe (Sirimavo BV)
U-19: Winner – Chanithma Sinali (Sirimavo BV)
Runner-up – Irudinithi Wood (Lindsay BV)
3rd Place – Anargi Perera (Visakha)
(Boys)
U-15: Winner – Matheesha Wijesekara (Royal)
Runner-up – Bihandu Nanayakkara (Gateway)
3rd Place – Tharul Pinwatta (Royal)
U-17: Winner – Matheesha Wijesekara (Royal)
Runner-up – Mohamed Rilwan (St. Joseph’s)
3rd Place – Tharul Pinwatta (Royal)
U-19: Winner – Nevndu Lakman (DSS)
Runner-up – Thinura Randina (Nalanda)
3rd Place – Seniya Jayatilleke (Royal)
Men’s Over-35:
Winner – Leading Aircraftman HAS de Silva (Air Force)
Runner-up – Staff Sergeant KG Prabath (Army)
3rd Place – Corporal DMR Dissanayake (Army)