Kandy YMCA to revive boxing

S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen, Kandy Sports Correspondent

Kandy Young Mens' Christians Association which has a record history of over 100 years has initiated plans to revive boxing in a big way after a lapse of four years.

The task of reviving boxing at Kandy YMCA has been entrusted to former national boxing coach G.A.S. Gunasinghe who has represented the country at many international meets in the fifties and sixties. This includes the Commonwealth Games held in Australia during that time in the early sixties.

He is popularly known as GAS as his initials stand and some call him by that name as he really emits gas when in full flight in the boxing. It is not only grace and style but also a deadly punch which causes panic to the opponents and often never recovers and the referee stops the contest.

He was employed with Sri Lanka Air Force and started coaching boxing some of the best boxers in the hills including Anuruddha Ratnayake who later represented the country at Olympic Games after a long lapse.

Kandy YMCA is non profit making and leading sporting institution in the hill capital and it had an auditorium at Kotugodella Veediya and a gymnasium along Lake Round which the previous administration of the Kandy Municipal Council took over at the expiry of the lease and refused to renew the lease despite the many efforts of the Kandy YMCA. The preset revival of boxing at Kandy YMCA has been possible due to the efforts of its Executive Secretary and former Central Province Director of Sports S.A. Wijewickrema Jnr.