AVI Mercantile badminton tournament commences

Yasaratne GAMAGE

DSI Strategic Planning Manager Saliya Amaratunga handing over the token of sponsorship to Mercantile Badminton Association President Nirodha De Costa. (From Left) Devinda Kulatunga, DSI Brand Executive, MBA Vice President Roshan Fernando Secretary Rohan Santhanam and MBA Treasurer Rashmika Abeysundera also look on

The 29th Mercantile AVI Amateur Badminton Tournament organized by the Mercantile Badminton Association commenced today and will continue till March 25 at the St Thomas’s Indoor Stadium. The tournament is sponsored by the DSI Company under the brand name AVI for the 3rd consecutive time.

This year, 306 men and 46 women will vie for honours during the tournament. The number of teams involved have gone up to 46 from 37 of last year.

Men’s and women’s singles and doubles, mixed doubles, men’s veteran’s singles and doubles (over 40 years), women’s veteran’s singles and doubles (over 35 years) and masters singles and doubles (over 50) will be the events to be played.

Play will commence at 4.30 pm on all working days while starting time for Saturdays will be 9am and 10 am on Sunday. All semi finals will be played on March 24 followed by the finals and third and fourth places play-offs which will be played on March 25. The organizers said that challenge trophies, awards, certificates and gifts from the sponsors will be awarded to winners. In addition victorious players will be awarded a foreign tour within a period of one year, sponsored by the institutions they represent.