by Dhammika Ratnaweera
Niluka Karunaratne will lead the Sri Lankan Junior Badminton team to the Asian Junior Badminton Championships which will commence today (July 14) in Malaysia.

The twelve member Lankan team (six boys and six girls) together with three officials left yesterday for the tournament and this will be a good opportunity for youngsters to get international exposure.

Niluka the 17 year old national champion from Royal College is the key shuttler in the team. He is also selected to participate in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester from July 25 to August 4.

According to a senior official of the Sri Lanka Badminton Association (SLBA) 21 countries from the Asian region will take part in this junior tournament. Both team and individual events would be conducted and the Lankan shuttlers are expected to participate in both events. Niluka has good chance of reaching the semi finals, but Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Japan are the major powers. However, our shuttlers will have a good chance of playing with strong players which will be of great future value.

Niluka and his younger brother Diluka both Royalists and three other shuttlers Anushka Lakshan, Hashan de Silva, Hasitha Chanaka from Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda and Amila Wijesekera of St. Anthony’s Kandy are the boys, while two Mahamaya shuttlers Thilini Jayasinghe, Kanchana Gonawala, two Vishakians Amali Amarasinghe and Sulochana Ariyadasa, Madusha Dissanayake from Girl’s High School Kandy and Surangi Silva of Dharmasoka Ambalangoda are the girls.

Chris Gonawala the SLBA Vice President is the Chef de Mission cum Manager with Champa Erandathi the Lady Chaperon cum Assistant Manager and coach E. E. P. Karunaratne.

Meanwhile, Ajith Wijayasinghe the international referee left for Malaysia yesterday to follow the Referee Refreshers course conducted by the International Badminton Federation (IBF).

The SLBA also confirmed that P. P. S. Rohana de Silva will leave for the Umpires Accredition course conducted by the Asian Badminton Federation (ABF) and two coaches Chintaka Fernando and K. D. Nallathamby also will leave on July 17 for Malaysia to follow the coaches certificate course also conducted by the ABF.