Nearly 1000 teams for this years C' ships

President's Gold Cup Volleyball:

Chris Dhambarage

The President's Gold Cup men's and women's Volleyball Championships conducted by the Sri Lanka Volleyball Federation and sponsored by Dialog Telekom for the fourth successive year will commence on June 28.

This tournament has been organised with the aim of uplifting the country's national sport and also to provide a platform that will showcase national volleyball talent as well as to give competing teams a forum to create new levels of performances.

A record number of over six hundred teams are expected to participate in this year's tournament which will be worked off at Zonal, Provincial and National levels. The tournament is scheduled to begin with the Zonal level games on June 28, 29 and July 5 and 6 respectively.

The Provincial level matches are expected to take place on July 19, 20, 26 and 27 and the National level games schedule for August 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 18 at the National Youth Services Council Centre in Maharagama.

The launching ceremony of this tournament was held under the patronage of Minister of Sports and Recreation Gamini Lokuge and President of the Sri Lanka Volleyball Federation Minister Dilan Perera at the Trans Asia Hotel in Colombo yesterday.

Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge said that this championship has over the years produced several promising young players who were able to secure a place in the national squad as a result of their exceptional performances at the tournament.

The President of the Sri Lanka Volleyball Federation Minister Dilan Perera said that the President's Gold Cup tournament is a highly anticipated event in the volleyball calendar and appreciated the support they have received from Dialog Telecom towards developing the sport to a higher level.

The Group Chief Marketing Officer of Dialog Telekom Nushad Perera said that volleyball has shown good progress over the years and it is their belief that with proper support the game will achieve the same popularity and the recognition that cricket or rugby has in this country.