Dian Gomes re-elected president of ABA

BY CHRIS Dhambarage

DIAN Gomes was re elected president for the second successive year at the annual general meeting of the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka held at Reid Avenue recently.

The Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka under the leadership of Dian Gomes made steady progress last year with all annual fixtures carried out very successfully. In keeping with a clearly conceived strategy Gomes and his team embarked on a plan which gave promising boxers at all levels the much needed international exposure.

This seems to be the best and most pragmatic approach to boost the Sri Lankan game to a higher level.

The Goa International Boxing tournament held in India saw two boxers M. D. K. Wanniarachchi and R. M. K. B. Ratnayake taking part. At this meet Wanniarachchi was adjudged best boxer and best loser going down in the semifinals in the bantam weight category.

At the Greenhill Cup boxing tournament held in Karachi Pakistan Sri Lanka's M. D. K. Wanniarachchi, R. M. K. B. Ratnanyake, Bandula Wickremasinghe and Kamal Sameera represented Sri Lanka with Wanniarachchi winning the bronze medal.

At the South Asian Federation Games held in Islamabad a contingent of nine boxers represented Sri Lanka.

They won four silver medals through Harsha Kumara, Manju Wanniarachchi, Anuruddha Ratnayake and Kamal Sameera and two bronze medals through W. Wanninayake and R. P. Jayatilleke.

In addition Kamal Sameera won a bronze medal at the Indonesian President's Cup international boxing tournament losing to the eventual gold medallist.

Gomes also paved the way for T. B. Harsha Kumara, M. D. K. Wanniarachchi and R. M. K. B. Ratnayake to represent the country at the Olympic selection trials held in Philippines, China and Pakistan which gave them the rare opportunity of fighting against the best boxers in the world.

Women's boxing was always close to Gomes' heart since he steered Slimline women boxers to many international events.

He believed in the that that boxing could provide Sri Lankan women with hope for a better tomorrow. Under his guidance and leadership Sri Lankan women boxers took part in the Women's International boxing tournament held in Chinese Taipei.

At this tournament Sumudu Pitigala won a silver medal while Anusha Kodituwakku and Chandrika Guruge won bronze medals in their respective weight categories.

With a vision of enhancing school boxing the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka introduced boxing to the Pannala National School and Giriulla Wickremashila National School with the financial assistance of Slimline Limited Pannala and the technical collaboration provided by the ABA.

The Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka have planned a dual meet against the Philippines next month in Colombo and will also participate in two international meets before the South Asian Federation Games next year.