Akeel brings Sri Lanka’s first medal in squash

Published : 9:49 pm  July 28, 2011 |  No comments so far  |     |   (6)  |  

Shamil Akeel of D.S. Senanayake College won a bronze medal in the U-13 Asian Junior Squash Championship held in Amman, Jordan. Six other Sri Lankans too won medals in this tournament but they won medals in the plate or consolation events.

Akeel made good progress in the main draw and finished third in the under-13 event for boys. He was unfortunate to lose in the semi-final to an Jordanian but this was the first time in the history of squash in Sri Lanka that a player has reached the semi-final in an international tournament.

Druvinka Perera won a gold medal in the under-13 boys’ plate event. Kasundara Suwaris also won a gold medal in the plate event for girls’ under-13.

M.S. Methsarani won a gold medal in the Plate event for girls’ under-15 while Yasara Jayasuriya also won the consolation event in the same age category for girls.

Two Sri Lankans were involved in the final in the girls’ under-19 plate event. Mandakini Gunasekera won the gold while Sanduni Gomes won the silver medal in this event.

(By T.B. Rahaman)