Indika, Anusha win big at 3rd Presidential Sports Awards

Indika Dissanayake (Weightlifting) and Anusha Kodituwakku (Boxing) won big at the 3rd Presidential Sports Awards for 2017 & 2018 which was held on Wednesday (17th July) at BMICH under the patronage of the President, his excellency Maithripala Sirisena and the guidance of the Sports Minister Mr. Harin Fernando. 

Dissanayake, who won the Silver medal at the Commonwealth Games 2018 in weightlifting, bagged three awards, Sports Personality of the Year, the Most Outstanding Sportsman of the Year and the Most Popular Sportsman of the Year.  

Kodituwakku, who brought glory to Sri Lanka winning the Commonwealth Games 2018 bronze-medal in Boxing was named the Most Outstanding Sportswoman of the Year and the Most Popular Sportswoman of the Year.  

The World Champions in Carrom, Sri Lanka Carrom National Team was named the Most Outstanding Men’s Sports Team, while the Asian Netball Champions, the Sri Lanka Netball Team bagged the Most Outstanding Women’s Sports Team award.

In the upcoming category, Athletics dominated as Asian Junior Gold Medalists – 4x400m boys and Bronze Medalists, 4x400m girls were named the Most Outstanding Upcoming Sportsmen’s Team and Most Outstanding Upcoming Sportswomen’s Team respectively.

Parami Wasanthi Maristela, the Steeple-chase runner who bagged a bronze medal in the Youth Olympics last year was named the Most Outstanding Upcoming Sportswoman of the Year, while Aruna Darshana, who won the Gold Medal in the Asian Junior Athletics Championship was crowned the Most Outstanding Upcoming Sportsman of the Year.

Sri Lanka’s number one sports hub – ThePapare.com won the Most Outstanding Sports Social Media Network award for their unending service to the sports arena in the country.

Veteran Sports Journalists Elmo Rodrigopulle, Premasara Epasinghe and J.H. Wilson were awarded the Presidential Lifetime Award of Excellence (Kreeda Prabha) in appreciation of their service to the sports arena.

Nimal Lewke, Chandrishan Perera, Captain Tilan Perera, Prema Pinnawala, Prof. Ranjith de Silva and P. Don Victor were awarded the ‘Kreeda Bhushana’ title and Mrs. W.D. Chandra Kanthi, L.A.D. Premaratne and Suneetha Wijesuriya were offered the ‘Kreeda Ratna’ title.

Presidential Lifetime Achievement Awards of Excellence (Kreeda Deshoththara) were presented to Mr. Anura Tennakoon, Mrs. Mali Wickramasinghe and Mrs. Pushpamali Ramanayake.

Full Awards List

• Sports Personality of the Year – Indika Dissanayake
• The Most Outstanding Sports Women’s Team – Sri Lanka National Netball Team
• The Most Outstanding Sports Men’s Team – Sri Lanka National Carrom Team
• The Most Outstanding Sportswoman – Anusha Kodituwakku (Boxing)
• The Most Outstanding Sports Man – Indika Dissanayake (Weightlifting)
• The Most Outstanding Upcoming Sports Women’s Team – 400X4 – Relay 
• The Most Outstanding Upcoming Sports Men’s Team – 400X4 – Relay 
• The Most Outstanding Upcoming Sportswoman – Parami Wasanthi Maristela (Athletics)
• The Most Outstanding Upcoming Sportsman – Aruna Darshana (Athletics)
• Most Popular Sportswoman – Anusha Kodituwakku (Boxing)
• Most Popular Sportsman – Indika Dissanayake (Weightlifting)
• Most Popular Upcoming Sportswoman – Amasha De Silva (Athletics)
• Most Popular Upcoming Sportsman – Harshana Tillakaratne (Chess)
• The Most Outstanding Sports Men’s (Special Needs) Team – Sri Lanka National Deaf Cricket Team
• The Most Outstanding Sportsman (Special Needs) – Dinesh Priyantha (Athletics – Para)
• The Most Outstanding Sports Woman (Special Needs) – Amara Indumathi Karunathilake (Athletics – Para)
• The Most Outstanding Umpire/Referee – Kumar Dharmasena (Cricket)
• The Most Outstanding Coach – R.B Wickramasinghe (Weightlifting)
• The Most Outstanding Coach (Special Needs) – Jayalath Aponso (Deaf Cricket)
• The Most Outstanding Sports Science Academic – Rear Admiral Dr. Shemal Fernando
• The Most Outstanding Sports Physician – Dr. Y.H.S De Silva
• The Most Outstanding Leisure Sports Provider – Sri Lanka Army
• The Most Outstanding Sports Promoter – Sirasa TV/Platinum Awards
• The Most Outstanding Sports Photographer – Isuru Sameera Peiris – SportsPhotography.lk
• The Most Outstanding Sports TV Program (Current Affairs) – Beyond The Boundaries by Yenuka Dissanayke – Sri Lanka Rupavahini
• The Most Outstanding Sports TV Program (Live) – Gajaba Super Cross – Sampath. C Perera – Sri Lanka Rupavahini
• The Most Outstanding Sports Radio Program (Live) – Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation – Live Cricket Commentary
• The Most Outstanding Sports Radio Program (Current Affairs) – ITN – Kelibima – Chathuka Divashana and Nuwan Karunaratne
• The Most Outstanding Sports Page (Print Media – Sinhala) – Ada
• The Most Outstanding Sports Page (Print Media – English) – Ceylon Today
• The Most Outstanding Sports Page (Print Media – Tamil) – Virakesari
• The Most Outstanding Sports Social Media Network – ThePapare.com