Defence Secretary Chief Guest at 96th National Boxing Championship
January 18, 2024Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne graced the closing ceremony of the 96th National Boxing Championship as the Chief Guest at the MAS Arena of Royal College Colombo, yesterday (Jan 17).
Notably, Umayanga Mihiran of Sri Lanka Police was recognized as the Most Outstanding Boxer of the year 2023. The Sri Lanka Army Boxing Club with a haul of 23 gold medals received accolades as the most successful club of 2023 at the 96th National Boxing Championship held last evening.
The event saw outstanding players being honoured with trophies and accolades from the Defence Secretary and the President of the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) Dian Gomes. Several senior Sri Lanka Army and Air Force officers also joined the Defence Secretary on this occasion.
Performance in the National Boxing Championship plays a pivotal role in forming a national boxing pool, paving the way for international tournaments in 2024.
BASL in collaboration with the National Selection Committee, conducts the national championship to select the players for the Summer Olympics and also targets the 1st and 2nd World Qualifying Tournaments for 2024.
The participation of nearly 150 boxers from 20 clubs, including representatives from the Sri Lanka Army, Navy, Air Force and Police underscored the significance of the championship tournament which was worked out for five (5) days from January 13 to 17.
