Harshani creates history
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Harshani after wining the medal at the Toa World Championship in
Iran |
Anuradha Abeysekera
Harshani Sandamali Basnayake brought honour to Sri Lanka by winning a
Bronze Medal in the 1st Toa World Championship held in Iran recently.
Harshani competed in under 48 weight category. Harshani’s triumph will
be the Sri Lanka’s highest achievement in a martial art World
Championship.
Harshani who is a Psychical Training Instructor, attached to the St.
Anthony’s Girls School, Kandy, holds a second dan Black Belt in Karate.
She has won many national level Karate championships and is a well known
personalty in the local Karate scene. Lately she took up to Toa and was
the only women’s player to represent Sri Lanka in the World
Championship.
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Harshani Sandamali Basnayake |
Toa is a martial art developed in Iran and later spanned across the
globe. Iran emerged champions bagging 16 gold and three bronze medals at
the recently concluded world championship. Altogether 43 countries
participated in the first World Championship where three forms of the
sport, Mayana, Do Chob and Gilma events conducted in 19 weight
categories. Local team comprised nine players included Clement de Zoysa
as the Head of the Team and participated in Mayana, which is an un-armed
body contact event.
Sri Lanka made another significant achievement during the event when
Sri Lanka Toa Federation (SLTF) Secretary Clement de Zoysa inducted as
the Senior Vice President of the Asian Toa Federation. |
