Ratnayake could win a medal at Beijing Olympics, says Gomes

Leslie FERNANDO

The Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka under the leadership of Dian Gomes has been exemplary in the manner they have taken boxing to new heights leading the revival of a deteriorating sport, firmly establishing Sri Lanka in the global boxing map.

This year alone saw the Sri Lankan boxers getting exposure at ten international competitions.

The ABA has also hosted international boxing teams for invitational dual meets in Sri Lanka for the past four years, consecutively not only giving the boxers the much needed exposure but also popularizing the sport among Sri Lanka’s sporting fraternity as well.

The recently concluded Sri Lanka and Tanzania ‘Fight Night’ was one such example of the innovativeness of the current ABA setup to introduce boxing to the upper echelons of society, hosting the Las Vegas style event in a five star comfort in a star class hotel in Colombo.

Gomes said that Anuruddha Ratnayake made boxing history being the first Sri Lankan to qualify for the Olympic Games since the introduction of the qualification system. He also became the first boxer to qualify for the Olympic Games since 1968 thereby ending a 40-year draught for the island nation.

Ratnayake ended up with a ranking of fifth in the world at the October 2007 AIBA World Boxing Championships held in Chicago, Illinois. Over 600 boxers from over 133 countries battled it out vying for Olympic qualification honours.

Anuruddha Ratnayake- a stupendous achievement and a supreme example of the power of will and grit. From absolute wilderness two years ago facing a forced premature retirement Ratnayake lived up to the saying that ‘impossible is nothing’ overcoming all odds to qualify for the most prestigious event of them all the highest plum that any boxer could ever achieve.

Everyone had written Ratnayake off as a ‘has been’ and did not consider him as a serious option for Sri Lanka’s boxing future. Everyone except two men who had belief that Ratnayake was yet destined for greater things to come. One of them was the virtuoso of Sri Lankan boxing, the indomitable Dian Gomes who always believed in the ability of young Anuruddha Ratnayake.

The other was the determined young man himself who kept the fire of passion burning within him to hit back hard when the opportunity arose.

Boxing chief Gomes added that he has seen Ratnayake come up through the years and he took him under his wing in 1999 realizing the immense potential that Ratnayake possessed. There was something special about Ratnayake which went beyond his boxing skills. He had that sparkle in his eye and a never say die attitude which made him stand out from the rest.

Dian Gomes who has brought about a tremendous turn around to Sri Lanka’s boxing fortunes since assuming the hot seat as the president of the ABA four years ago added that ‘We had two main aspirations for Sri Lankan boxing when I took over the role of president.

The first was to qualify a boxer to the Olympics in 2008. The other was to win a medal in 2012. We are proud to say that Anuruddha has fulfilled our first dream by gaining qualification for the Beijing 2008 games. It will be a proud moment for me when I take him for the Olympics because I feel for him as a father would do for his son, said Gomes who will also act as Sri Lanka’s Chef - De - Mission for the Beijing Games.

Gomes speaking on promotion of boxing said in addition to the senior national team, the ABA is also focusing closely on the junior ranks having sent four member teams to the Asian Junior Championships in Azerbaijan and the World Cadet Championships in Kazakhstan earlier this year.

The younger national squad acts as the feeder for the national team. ABA have a solid structure in place in partnership with the Schools Boxing Association to ensure a smooth transition into the senior ranks.

Gomes who is renowned for his uncanny ability to spot and groom talent at all levels explained that ABA is also focusing on developing women’s boxing keeping in line with the AIBA vision of promoting the sport among the fairer sex.

The response has been overwhelming and we have over 70 female boxers competing at a serious level. The enthusiasm was boosted by Anusha Kodituwakku securing the Asian Gold medal in the fly weight category last year.

Nieva Embuldeniya, Sri Lanka’s representative on the executive committee of AIBA who is the live wire behind the development of women’s boxing in the country.

When questioned what is next for the ABA Dian Gomes readily replied ‘obviously the next hurdle is the Olympics where ABA expect Ratnayake to have a realistic chance of winning a medal. The ABA is sending him to Cuba and Thailand for intensive development programs in the run up to the games.

I am also expecting Manju Wanniarachchi to qualify for the Olympics at the forthcoming Asian Qualifiers in Bangkok.

He was unfortunate to have lost to the eventual gold medal winning Russian boxer in Chicago and I am confident he will come up with a better showing this time.

Both Manju Wanniarachchi and Kamal Sameera will fight at the Asian Qualifiers in Bangkok on 20 January 2008.

Boxing in Sri Lanka has come a long way over the past four years. As good as Gomes’ boxers are at the moment, indications are that they are only going to get better and it would take a brave man to write off a medal for Sri Lanka at the forthcoming Olympics.

The ABA has set the bar high for other sporting bodies in this country. In times where corruption and malpractice is common place in sports bodies, the ABA has been a breath of fresh air and a ray of hope for the sporting future of our country.