World Carrom Champs felicitated

Richard Dwight

The four-member Sri Lanka men’s carrom team soared to great heights when it triumphed over main contender, India.

They beat defending champions India 2-1 in a decisive final held recently at the Fifth World Carrom Championships at Palais Des Festivals in Cannes, France - for Sri Lanka to most deservedly be acclaimed as the new carrom world champions, a coveted title that Sri Lanka will hold onto for the next four years.

This was indeed an epoch making effort by the Sri Lankan players, for the reason that in the past four world championships that took place every 4 years, India dominated the contest by winning right along with Sri Lanka having to be content being runner-up. But at this 5th world carrom championship, the positions were reversed with India being the runner-up and Sri Lanka doing well to win the championship for the first time.

This history making team comprised of players from Ceylinco Consolidated and another Viraj Fernando from the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.

The 3 players from Ceylinco Consolidated who played in the crucial final to clinch the prestigious title were Chamil Cooray and Germain Goonewardene both from Seylan Bank and Nishantha Fernando from The Finance and Guarantee Co. Ltd (F&G). Deshamanya Dr. Lalith Kotelawala, the ever popular chairman of both Ceylinco Consolidated and F&G Co. Ltd was quick enough to recognise the fame and honour brought by these three praise-worthy players not only to themselves but to the institutions wherein they serve and as well to the country at large.

And so in keeping with his characteristic benevolent nature, Kotelawala tangibly expressed his appreciation and that of Ceylinco Consolidated by felicitating Chamil Cooray, Germain Goonewardene and Nishantha Fernando on Tuesday, where each of them were rewarded with a house, a new motor vehicle and promotion. This is truly a laudable gesture, exemplary in the main which yet other heads of institutions would do well to emulate.

There were 14 teams competing in this four-day carrom world championship, where each team had to declare 3 players for each match, which numbered 5 matches with a series of games for each match.

Sri Lanka who remained unbeaten right through beat India in the deciding final to be declared world champs. Sri Lanka’s number one Chamil Cooray beat India’s world number one Yogesh Pradesh 2-1 while Sri Lanka’s number two, Nishantha Fernando beat India’s world number two R.N. Sankara 2-0. The third game which was of little or no consequence saw Sri Lanka’s Germain Coonewardene lose to India’s K. Nadarajah.

Jayasinghe who is presently the immediate Past President of the Federation is also the Deputy Chairman/CED of F&G Co. Ltd and firmly supportive of the current Carrom Federation President Ranjit Rodrigo and his committee.

This apart Jayasinghe who is also the Vice President of the Federation is extending a sponsorship package from his company for carrom which augur well for the future of the sport.