Safdar Ali and Thilini Kudo champions

S M Jiffry Abdeen Kandy Sports Correspondent

Twenty-year-old M Safdar Ali (men) and teenager Tilini Marasinghe (women) became grand champions at the all island Kudo Championship organised by the Sri Lanka Kudo Federation and worked off at the Cincinati Indoor Stadium Nuwara Eliya on Saturday.

Tilini Marasinghe from the rural area of Hunnasgiriya displayed exceptional skills and in fighting in the Women's Open to win the event and also the Grand Championship for women in the final fight for the day.

Mohamed Safdar Ali competing in the Physical Index - 230 event won this event comfortably and also the Grand Championship for Men by winning the open event by defeating M I Nawaz.

Safdar Ali gave a superb exhibition of footwork and spotted the weakness of his opponents and drove home the advantage.

This championship was organised by Sensei Kumaradasa Sirisena the local representative of Kudo International Federation under the supervision of Director South Asia Shihan M Mohideen.

Colonel Thilak Amunugama Commanding Officer, Sinha Regiment Nuwara Eliya was the chief guest. The results:

Physical Index - 220: Winner: M. I. M. Nawaz, Runner up: M. Zulfikar Ali.
Physical Index - 240: Winner: M. A. M. Mafas, Runner up: M. J. R. Olson.
Physical Index - 230: Winner: M. Safdar Ali, Runner up: A. D. N. de Silva.
Physical Index - 250: Winner: S. Ganesh, Runner up: M. I. C. de Silva.

Women's Open Event: Winner: M. M. T. D. K. Tilini Marasinghe, Runner up: G. D. S. Amani Premaratne.

Grand Champions: Men: M. Safdar Ali, Women: M. M. T. D. K. Tilini Marasinghe.

Grand champion: Women - M M T D K Tillini Marasinghe. Men: M Safdar Ali.