The Fencing team of Royal College Colombo emerged overall champions at the recently concluded inaugural Sri Lanka Schools Fencing Championships 2016 which was held on the 19th and 20th December at the Royal College – Royal MAS Arena.
Fencing being new to Sri Lanka, the National Association of Fencing Sri Lanka took the initiative to organise an All Island contest for school fencers. This tournament preceded the Open National Fencing Meet. The tournament was highly competitive and these young fencers delivered their maximum to win a medal for their alma mater.
The tournament consisted of knock out rounds and started off with Under 20 Epee quarter-finals where Ridma Pathirana of Royal College met Jithmal Wijesinghe of S.Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia. Jithmal got off to a flying start with the first bout ending as 5-2. During the second bout, both players tried to score double points but Jithmal was able to secure his lead. The 3rd and last bout saw the scores read 12-9 and the Thomian was set to win the first medal of the tournament for the boys from Mount Lavinia. Royalist Ridma didn’t concede and finished the game with the final scores reading 14-15 and won the first medal for the Reid Avenue boys.
In the other U20 Epee encounters Kavindu Collure of Royal College beat Umayanga Wikramanayake 15-9 and Supun Isuranga of Kegalu Vidyalaya beat Vinukh Kalansooriya of Royal College 15-14. Lalindra Dambawinne of S.Thomas’ College beat Joel Daniel of S.Thomas’ College 15-10.
The Under 15 encounters began shortly after. Mahawaththa Maha Vidyalaya Kandy won all three gold medals. They secured the gold medals of U15 Epee, U15 Sabre and U15 Foil and came on top on day 01.
Under 17 encounters were dominated by Yatihena Maha Vidyalaya and Pannala National School. Current U17 National champion Rangana Pradeep of Yatihena Maha Vidyalaya secured Gold medal beating Lahiru Madusanka of Science College. U17 foil Gold medal was won by Manusha Eranda of DS Senanayake College Colombo while Avishka Isurumal of Pannala National School secured the Gold Medal in the U17 Epee event.
Royal College Colombo dominated the senior category to secure their position in the tournament on day 01. In the semi- finals of U20 Epee Supun Isuranga of Kegalu Vidyalaya beat Ridma Pathirana of Royal and Kavindu Collure of Royal beat Lalindra Dambawinne of S. Thomas’ qualifying for the finals. Kavindu Collure won the gold Medal in the final beating the much experienced player Supun Isuranga 13-15 in favor of the Royalist. Buddika Priyashan secured silver in the U20 Foil Category for Royal and Induwara Wishmitha Bandara of Wikramashila National College won the gold. The captain of S. Thomas’ team Rukshan Perera beat Royal Captain Seth Perera in U20 Sabre quarter-finals 15-12. At one point Seth was down to 8-0 but he managed to finish his game with a competitive score. The Thomian captain defeated Shavinda Herath of Royal in the semi- finals 15-10. Yahia Salih of Royal College defeated his team mate Pasan Perera by 15-8 in the quarter finals and beat Sandun Tharaka of Daraluwa Maha Vidyalaya in the semifinals 15-14. He defeated the Thomian captain Rukshan with a score of 15-8 to secure the second gold medal for the Reid Avenue Boys in the final. As the day 01 ended Mahawaththa National School was in the top while Royal and Yatihena National School was in the 2nd and 3rd positions respectively.
Photo Album: The National Fencing Championship 2016 – Final Day
In the girls’ category, most of the matches were open bouts due to the lack of fencers. Vishaka College Sapugaskanda dominanted in the girls’ category, winning a medal in almost all events. On the other hand Princess of wales College Moratuwa had only 2 fencers but they went on to win2 gold medals in U17 Epee Girls category and U17 Sabre Girls category. Twin Chathumi Bhagya and Chamodi Prathiba show cased a high level of skill and Chathumi won the best female fencer award bringing honour to their school.
Day 02 of the tournament saw some intense battles as it was the day for mixed weapon events. In the U15 age group Mahawatta National School defeated S. Thomas’ in the semi- final while Kegalu Vidyalaya beat Royal College to secure their spot in the finals. Mahawatta Maha Vidyalaya once again proved their dominance in the U15 category winning the gold medal of the mixed team event and was in a commanding position to take the Champions trophy to Kandy but their dreams came crashing down when Royal College beat Yatihena Maha Vidyalaya and S. Thomas’ College in the U17 and U20 events respectively. Royal College received a bye at the U17 semi-finals and Yatihena Maha Vidyalaya beat Pannala National School in the other semi-final. Royal College beat Yatihena Maha Vidyalaya in the finals to secure the 3rd gold medal in the tournament. The fate of the Royal team rested on the U20 mixed team event. Royal college team led by Seth Perera skillfully defeated S.Thomas’ College with a massive score of 15-1 to secure their title in the inaugural Schools Fencing Championship. Royal College won 15 medals in total with 4 gold medals, 2 silver medals and 9 bronze medals while the runners up Mahawatta Maha Vidyalaya Kandy won 4 gold medals, 1 silver medal and 1 bronze medal.
Speaking to Thepapare.com, the Royal College head coach Mr. Gayan Bandara stated “I believe that hard work, commitment and dedication paved the way for this victory. Seniors and junior fencers worked so hard during practice sessions balancing their studies and other activities all because of the love for the sport. And I believe that they have achieved what they dreamt and they totally deserve it.”
The award ceremony of the tournament was held on the 22nd of December at the MAS arena with the patronage of Hon. Min. Dayasiri Jayasekara – The Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs and Mr. Dian Gomes – the President of National Association of Fencing Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Schools Fencing Championships – 2016 –Results
Boys Category
Under 15 – Foil
Gold – W.A. Hashan Saminda – Mahavatte Maha Vidyalaya
Silver – Shehan Kavishka Veragoda – Kegalu Vidyalaya
Bronze – Isuru Jayanath – De Soyza Maha Vidyalaya , Kavindu Maduranga – Royal College
Under 15 – Epee
Gold – Chanuka Lakshan – Mahawatte Maha Vidyalaya
Silver – Kaviru Gunaratne – Royal College
Bronze – Adeepa Kularatne – Royal College , Navindu Madusanka – Mahawatte Maha Vidyalaya
Under 15 – Sabre
Gold – Akash Prabhath – Mahawatte Maha Vidyalaya
Silver – Shashi Prabhath Chethana – Kandawala Maha Vidyalaya
Bronze – Sahan Girihagama – Royal College , H.T.N. Wijesinghe – S.Thomas’ College
Mixed team Under 15
Gold – Mahavatte Maha Vidyalaya – Hashan Saminda, Chanuka Lakshan, Akash Pravhath, Shahan Hasrel
Silver – Kegalu Vidyalaya
Bronze – Royal College and S. Thomas’ College
Under 17- Foil
Gold – Manusha Eranda – DS Senanayake College Colombo
Silver – Kavindu Lakshan – Yatihena Maha Vidyalaya
Bronze – Nivin Kumarapperuma – Royal College , U.O. Munasinghe – S.Thomas’ College
Under 17 – Epee
Gold – Avishka Isurumal – Pannala National School
Silver – Pubudu Kumara – Mahavatte Maha Vidyalaya
Bronze – Linal Fernando – S.Thomas’ College , Pubudu Chathuranga – Yatihena Maha Vidyalaya
Under 17 – Sabre
Gold – Rangana Pradeep Ranaweera – Yatihena Maha Vidyalaya
Silver – Lahiru Madusanka – Science College
Bronze – Induwara Mapalagama – Royal College , N.S. Fernando – S. Thomas’ College
Mixed team Under 17
Gold – Royal College Colombo – Gawesh Samaratunge, Anjula Abeyweera, Induwara Mapalagama, Kavindu Maduranga
Silver – Yatihena Maha Vidyalaya
Bronze – S.Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia
Under 20 – Foil
Gold – Induwara Vishmitha Bandara – Wikramashili National College, Giriulla
Silver – Buddika Priyashan – Royal College
Bronze – M.J. Waas – S. Thomas’ College , Nimanaka Perera – Royal College
Under 20 – Epee
Gold – Kavindu Collure – Royal College
Silver – Supun Isuranga – Kegalu Vidyalaya
Bronze – Ridma Pathirana – Royal college , Lalindra Dambawinne – S.Thomas’ College
Under 20 – Sabre
Gold – Yahia Salih – Royal College
Silver – Rukshan Perera – S.Thomas’ College
Bronze – Sandun Tharaka – Daraluwa Maha Vidyalaya , Shavinda Herath – Royal College
Under 20 – Mixed team
Gold – Royal College – Seth Perera , Ridma Pathirana, Buddika Priyashan , Umayanga Wikramanayake
Silver – S. Thomas’ College – Rukshan Perera, M.J.Waas , Joel Daniel , A.A. Amarasuriya
Girls’ Category
Under 15 – Foil
Gold – Tharushi Sewmini Sampaya – Vishaka College Sapugaskanda
Under 15 – Epee
Gold – Chathuni Bhagya – Princess of Wales College Moratuwa
Silver – Nethmi Nivartha – Vishaka College Sapugaskanda
Bronze – Dinusha Kalpani – Mahavatte Maha Vidyalaya Kandy
Under 15 – Sabre
Gold – Chamodhi Prathiba – Princess of Wales College
Silver – Ashani Rathnamali – Mahavatte Maha Vidyalaya
Bronze – Chamudi Inosha – Vishaka College Sapugaskanda , Raneesha Kumari – Mahavatte Maha Vidyalaya
Under 15 – mixed team
Gold – Vishaka College Sapugaskanda – Tharushi Sewmini, Nethmi Nivartha, Chamudi Inosha
Under 17 – Foil
Gold – Shilpa Kavindi – Vishaka College Sapugaskanda
Silver – Kokila Hettiarachchi – Pannala National School
Bronze – Harshani Roshika – Mahavatte National School , Isuri Amaya – Southlands College Galle
Under 17 –Epee
Gold – Sulakshana Wimarshi – Vishaka College Sapugaskanda
Under 17 – Sabre
Gold – Hansi Bhagya – Pannala National School
Silver – Kaveesha Malki – Vishaka College Sapugaskanda
Bronze – Yuthmi Amaya – Vishaka College Sapugaskanda , Ayesha Lakshani – Vishaka College Sapugaskanda
Under 17 Mixed team
Gold – Vishaka College Sapugaskanda – Tharushi Udani ,Sulaksha Vimarshi , Yuthmi Amaya ,Shilpa Kavindi
Under 20 – Epee
Gold – Gayathree Malshika – Mahawatte Maha Vidyalaya
Silver – Anushika Shantha – Mahawate Maha Vidyalaya
