Sri Lankan Boxers won recorded 11 medals including 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 8 Bronze medals at the
South Asian Games held from 1st to 10th December in Kathmandu, Nepal. Rumesh Sadakelum
fighting in the Light Heavyweight under 81 Kg won the gold medal for Sri Lanka after 15 years
in South Asian Games Boxing History. The last gold medal was won by TB Harsha Kumara in
2004 at the SAG Pakistan after his Pakistani opponent was deprived of the gold medal after being
positive in the doping test.
A talented heavyweight boxer Ramesh Sadakelum surprised the audience by knocking down
his Pakistan opponent Khan Awais Ali in the second round in the Semi Finals. In the final bout
Sadakelum won the title bout by a 3:2 split decision against the tough Nepal Boxer Pradhan
Ganesh who eliminated the main rival Indian Boxer Kumar Sachin in the Semi Finals.
Krishmi Dhamarathika (57Kg) won her fight against THAPA Chandra Kala of Nepal in the Semi
Finals and advanced to the finals. Krishmi lost to LATHER Sonia of India in the Final bout and
secured a Silver medal for this weight category. Another Silver medal was won by Dinesh
Maduranga in the middleweight 75Kg. Maduranga beat Bangladesh HOSSAIN Mohammad Arif
in the Semi Finals and lost by a split decision to KHATANA Ankit of India in the finals after a very
close bout.
Eight Boxers won bronze medals at the 13th South Asian Games are KVL Eranda 52Kg, N.B.A.J.
Vimukthi Kumara 60Kg, P.V.D.D.D. Saparamadu 64kg, A.R.B.E. Thilakarathna 91+kg, Nadeeka
Puspakumari 48Kg, A.A.K. Nilmini 51Kg, M.P.P.S. Cooray 54Kg and K.A.K. Hansika 60Kg.
Amila Aravinda, Sampath Jayathilaka, Chamila Abeyratne and Ravindra Wekadapola performed as the
team coaches whilst Aubrey Peiris, the Vice President of Boxing Association of Sri Lanka served as the
Manager of the South Asian Games Boxing contingent.
