Army Corporal Rumesh Sandakelum defied convention and myth that Sri Lanka’s heavyweights are no match for their counterparts in Asia when he bagged the solitary boxing gold medal at the 13th South Asian Games held in Nepal.
He was expected to make up the numbers in Sri Lanka’s 14-member boxing squad which also comprised five women pugilists. But Sandakelum surprised even officials of the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) by his sensational triumph in the light heavy weight (under 81kg), knocking out his opponent from Pakistan in the semifinals before outpointing a tough fighter from host country Nepal in the final.
It ended a 15-year drought for a boxing gold for Sri Lanka in this regional Games although many remember three-time SAG champion R.K. Sumith Prasanna as being the last gold medal winner way back in 1999. The BASL clarified in a press release that T.B. Harsha Kumara was awarded the gold medal by default in the 2004 SAG after his Pakistani opponent tested positive in the doping test.
Nonetheless it was an unheralded Army champion who saved the blushes for Sri Lanka in boxing although reaping a rich harvest of 11 medals – one gold, two silver and eight bronze medals.
“We are hoping to win at least three gold medals, five silver and two bronze medals,” declared Aubrey Peiris, vice president of the BASL who accompanied the team as manager, before the Games. Although they fell short, it overhauled their previous SAG boxing medal haul of five silver and four bronze medals in India in 2016.
India dominated the boxing competition winning 12 gold medals while the remaining two gold medals were earned by Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Krishmi Dharmathilaka (57kg) won her fight against Chandra Kala Thapa of Nepal in the semifinals and lost to Sonia Lather of India in the final to secure a silver medal. Another silver medal was won by Army’s Dinesh Maduranga in the middle weight (75kg). Maduranga beat Bangladesh’s Mohammad Arif Hossain in the semifinals and lost by a split decision to Ankit Khatana of India in the finals after a very close contest.
The eight boxers who won bronze medals are K.V.L. Eranda (52kg), N.B.A.J. Vimukthi Kumara (60kg), P.V.D.D.D. Saparamadu (64kg), A.R.B.E. Thilakarathna (91+kg), Nadeeka Puspakumari (48kg), A.A.K. Nilmini (51kg), M.P.P.S. Cooray (54kg) and K.A.K. Hansika (60kg).
However, Wanni Arachchige Rumesh Sandakelum was the surprise package of the competition. He had a disadvantage after the first round in all scorecards against Pakistan’s AIBA World Boxing Championships competitor Awais Ali Khan in the semifinals.
But the gutsy Sri Lankan southpaw knocked out the favourite from Pakistan in the second round. Sandakelum had to meet for the title with Nepal’s Ganesh Pradhan who became the first boxer in the whole South Asian Games to beat an Indian rival in the event.
The Nepali light heavyweight boxer was unable to repeat that performance as Sandakelum delivered Sri Lanka’s first boxing title in the Games.
“I was confident and determined to go for the gold medal after knocking out the favourite from Pakistan in the semifinals with a right hook,” said Sandakelum, 28, the eldest child from a family of three hailing from Deniyaya, Ratnapura.
A protégé of Major P.L.J. Ratnasooriya who was coach of Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment (VIR) when Sandakelum was drawn into boxing by Sudeera Weerawickrema after joining the Army in 2009.
“I saw his talent early in his career when he was a light weight. A southpaw like me, he had a good uppercut and hook,” said Ratnasooriya who has two Asian Championship bronze medals and represented Sri Lanka at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games in 1986.
Interestingly, Ratnasooriya won the first of his SAG silver medals at the inaugural SAF (South Asian Federation) Games held in Kathmandu in 1984 while Sandakelum emulated the feat of Sumith Prasanna also from Army who won his third SAF gold medal in Nepal in 1999.
Sandakelum’s career took off when he was selected to the Army championship pool in 2015 and blossomed when he came under the wing of Army head coach Sampath Jayathilake, who was in his corner in Nepal during his triumph.
He proved his talent by winning his weight at the Layton Cup in 2017 and was runner-up at the Clifford Cup in 2018 but is yet to become National champion although winning a gold medal on his international debut.
“I am thankful to all my seniors in the Army and coaches who guided me throughout my journey. My wish is to bring more international glory to Sri Lanka,” said Sandakelum who was picked for SAG on his performance at the selection trials organized by BASL.
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