Manju and Kamal to take part in World Boxing C'ships

The 13th World Senior Boxing Championships will be held in Mianyang City China from November 11 to 21, 2005. Sri Lanka will be represented by Manju Wanniarachchi (54 Kg Bantam weight) and Kamal Sameera (57 Kg Feather weight). This is the first time Sri Lanka will be fielding pugilists at the world championships where over 100 countries are expected to compete.

ABA President and CEO Mas Slimline Pvt Ltd, Pannala, Dian Gomes states that this will be a tough meet for our boxers and our two boxers Manju and Kamal Sameera are reported to be in top form. Cuban coach Formeta Matos too expressed optimism at the performance of our two boxers nominated for the championships.

Dian Gomes further stated that sending these two boxers to the world championships is part of his strategy to continue to expose our boxers for international competition in our quest for a medal in the next Olympics in 2008 in China.

Manju Wanniarachchi hailing from Kandy is an old Vidyarathian, and a seasoned member of the Sri Lanka boxing squad and member of the Slimline Sports Club. Earlier in the year he won the Silver Medal in the Bantam weight Class at the 27th Kings Cup Boxing Tournament in Bangkok Thailand by losing after a very close bout to a Korean Boxer, the Gold Medallist.

Manju also did the honours by winning his weight on both encounters in the Sri Lanka-Philippines dual meet held in Colombo in May this year. Manju who toured Scotland for the 4th Commonwealth Boxing Championships in August this year was very unfortunate to have lost the African champion in the weight category also after a very close fight. Manju is very confident of crating an impact in the world Championships in China.

Kamal Sameera from Panagama, Ratnapura will compete in the feather weight category. He is an old boy of Seevali Central College, Ratnapura, who are the current champions in juvenile boxing in the country. Kamal is also with Mas Unichela.

Kamal at 22 years is also another veteran in the Sri Lanka boxing squad. Kamal has toured Indonesia in the year 2003 where he won a Bronze Medal in the President's Cup. Kamal was also a Silver Medallist at the 2004 SAF Games in Islamabad in Pakistan. He also represented the country at the 27th Kings Cup in Bangkok along with manju where he lost to a Russian Boxer in a very close encounter.

Kamal's latest achievement was winning a Bronze Medal at the 4th commonwealth boxing championships concluded in Glasgow in Scotland in August this year. Prior to qualifying to the semis, in the quarter-finals he beat the Botswanian champion convincingly and lost to Stephen Smith of England following a split decision win. Kamal a quick fisted hard hitting boxer is having high hopes of qualifying for a medal in the world championships.

Manju and Kamal along with Cuban coach Formeta Matos left for the Philippines on Tuesday where they will participate in an International Boxing Training Camp and thereafter proceed to China for the World Cup.