Umayanga Pasindu Mihiran and Rukmal Prasanna are on the top of the podium at the Sri Lankan Men’s National Championships
Following the women’s finals, the male title contests were held in the Sri Lankan National Championships at the Royal MAS Arena in Colombo. Sri Lanka’s best male boxers such as Umayanga Pasindu Mihiran and Podi Arachchige Rukmal Prasanna both defended their thrones in the National Championships.
This was the 96th edition of the Sri Lankan National Championships which event began still in the 1920s. One of the IBA Board of Directors, the President of the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka, Mr. Dian Gomes and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and the State Ministry of National Security General Mr. Kamal Gunaratne were also followed the finals of the event.
Altogether 110 elite male boxers competed for the 13 titles from the minimumweight (48kg) up to the super heavyweight (+92kg). The Army Boxing Club was the best team in the Nationals ahead of the Police and the Sri Lankan Navy.
The minimumweight (48kg) final delivered an excellent contest between the Clifford Cup winner H.M.L.P. Jayawardana and D.H. Thisararachchi. The first won their repeat match by 4:1 split decision and remained on the top of the podium.
Umayanga Pasindu Mihiran had a top opponent in the final of the flyweight (51kg), the Clifford Cup winner K.A.S.K. Abegunawardana but due to his heavy shots, the ringside doctor stopped the bout in the first round.
R.M.P Dharmasena was National Champion and Clifford Cup winner at the bantamweight (54kg) last year and he dominated the category once again, defeating all of his three rivals by large margin of differences.
Podi Arachchige Rukmal Prasanna, the former ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships and Commonwealth Games competitor, thrashed all of his opponents at the featherweight (57kg) in the 96th edition of the National Championships.
R.M.P.K.K. Rashnayaka advanced to the final and walked over to the gold medal at the lightweight (60kg), following the veteran W.R.T. Weerakkodi was not able to fight in the last competition day.
Air Force’s I.P.C.D. Udayakumara won the Clifford Cup at the light middleweight (71kg) but he lost to P.M.L.L. Chandrabandara by 3:2 split decision in the final.
Army’s K.G. Pathmasiri not only won the final of the middleweight (75kg) but he was names as the Most Scientific Boxer of the National Championships.
Defending National Champions such as H.W.G.T. Rathnasiri (80kg), Y.S.P. Sudamma (86kg) and U.A. Awishka (+92kg) all repeated their gold medals in the Sri Lankan Nationals.
The list of the winners at the 2024 Sri Lankan Men’s National Championships
Men’s 48kg: H.M.L.P. Jayawardana
Men’s 51kg: G.K. Umayanga Pasindu Mihiran
Men’s 54kg: R.M.P. Dharmasena
Men’s 57kg: Podi Arachchige Rukmal Prasanna
Men’s 60kg: R.M.P.K.K. Rashnayaka
Men’s 63.5kg: P.S.P.S. Siriwardana
Men’s 67kg: P.S.P.S. Fernando
Men’s 71kg: P.M.L.L. Chandrabandara
Men’s 75kg: K.G. Pathmasiri
Men’s 80kg: H.W.G.T. Rathnasiri
Men’s 86kg: Y.S.P. Sudamma
Men’s 92kg: K.M.C.K. Karunanayaka
Men’s +92kg: U.A. Awishka
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