The Defenders’ open badminton tournament 2019 (National ranking level one) organized by the Army badminton committee along with the Sri Lanka National badminton Association, will be held from the 2nd to the 8th of April for the first time at the Panagoda Indoor Stadium.
The Defenders Open Badminton tournament will be open to all age categories (young, senior, open) for both male and female shuttlers, with the finals set to kick-off on 8th April 2019 at 15.30hrs. The award ceremony, headed by Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, Commander of the Army and chief guest, will take place on the same day.
Speaking to the media, Lieutenant General Senanayake said, “Sri Lanka Army as Defenders of the Nation (Rata Rakina Jathiya) took the initiative in this promotional operation of sports, like any other national tasks because such contribution of the Army to all national needs has already paid dividends. More than 350 national level sportsmen and women for 33 events, for example, have so far been produced by Army pools and that coincides with the Army’s ongoing ‘Healthy Army – Healthy Nation’ concept intending to groom a healthy nation. It is the Sri Lanka Army which is capable of holding a qualitative tournament of high standards and conduct of the scheduled ‘Defenders’ Open Badminton Championship – 2019’ which is also a step taken in that direction. I must also thank the Sri Lanka National Badminton Association for their unstinted support. Through such attempts we will also be able to support the schools in the country, in my capacity as the Chairman in the selection committee,”
Mr Nishantha Jayasinghe, Chairman, Sri Lanka Badminton Committee, Brigadier Duminda Gamage, Chairman, Sri Lanka Army Badminton Committee, Brigadier Sumith Atapattu, Director Media, Colonel R.B Benjamin, Colonel Sports at Directorate of Sports,Colonel Lanka Amarapala Commander 593 Brigade and Mr Sanjaya Wijesekara, Main Match Referee, together with the Commander of the Army occupied the head table during the Media briefing.
The purpose of this tournament is to conduct a tournament to international standards, in order that players may gain some experience in playing dome high quality badminton.
