The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) has made a significant decision to develop professional status for its National Players. It is well recognized that in today’s sports firmament, national level athletes cannot maintain their long-term development without economic support. This is the thinking advocated by the Ministry of Sports and the National Olympic Committee too who have been actively pursuing a High Performance conceptual plan for all top-level prospects in all sports.
SLB has thus taken the plunge and created an Elite squad of 12 Players who it regards has its best prospects over the next 2-3-year period, ending in 2022. These players are, Dinuka Karunaratne, Sachin Dias, Buwaneka Gunetileke, Ranthushka Sasindu, Rasindu Hendahewa, Viren Nettasinghe, Lochana De Silva, Thulith Palliyaguru among the Men and Tilini Hendahewa, Kavidi Sirimanage, Dilmi Dias, and Hasini Ambalangoda among the Women.
These elite players will receive a monthly stipend based on a contractual agreement that demands certain mandatory training and nutritional practices over the initial period ending December 2021. While the training programme is in the hands of two of Sri Lanka’s renowned coaches, Pradeep Welagedera and Shimal Aponso, the Nutritional and Medical aspects are in the reliable hands of Dr. Subash Mendis who runs Hela Keto.
An expert panel consisting of the National Pool Training Chairman Palitha Hettiarachchi, Selectors Chairman Ajith Wijayasinghe and SLB Treasurer Mangala Gamage will oversee this elite group of badminton players, some of whom have brought fame to Sri Lanka.
Dinuka, the younger brother of Niluka Karunaratne is a National Champion while Sachin Dias and Buwaneka Gunatilleke and Thilini Hendahewa and Kavidi Sirimanage are Sri Lanka’s International Doubles combinations.
Dilmi Dias is the 2019 National Champion while Ranthushka Sasindu was the 2019 National Men’s Runner-up. The other players are all primed to give the seniors a close run in the near future.
Meanwhile, Niluka is pursuing the Olympic Qualification circuit of upcoming international matches and hopes to make it to Tokyo, come next August 2021.
SLB President Rohan De Silva has continued to support these development programmes sponsoring most of these activities by channeling much needed funds to sustain these activities and ensure the progress of these players who were in action at the Lanka Shuttle Challenge 2020 which was held exclusively for National Pool Players from December 16 to20 2020 at the SLB and MBA courts.
Having now successfully completed Lanka Shuttle Challenge 2020 tournament, SLB will use this opportunity to evaluate the players who have been in training during the year, preparing them for both local and international tournaments in 2021. (AN)
0 comments:
Post a Comment