Chess tourney for visually impaired
Wehelle Piyathilake - Maharagama special
correspondent
|
The Six Sportsmen and sportswomen qualified for the finals are
with officials of the Council for the Blind Seated (From the
left) Rajika Wanamali (Kadawatha) Sanjeewa Karunaratne (Chess
Coach – vision impaired). S.L. Hettiarachchi (Executive Director
Vision Impaired) Sachittan Kanapthi (Ratmalana D&B School
Corporal H.M. Ratnayake
champion, Ambilipitiya Back Row (From the Left) Nuwnatha Sudesh
(1st runner up) Nishantha Kumar Fernando (Ratmalana D&B school)
Lance Corporal L.J. Indrajith (2nd runner-up Kithulgala). |
Majority of the people think that chess is a sport (Indoor) only for
the ordinary people. But recently I had the opportunity of witnessing a
chess tournament conducted for only visually impaired people, organized
by the Sri Lanka council for the blind at their headquarters at 74
Church Street Colombo 2.
This is the only chess tournament meant for the visually impaired
population is Sri Lanka. This is an Islandwide tournament 40 sportsmen
and sports women (visually impaired) participated at the tourney.
The Executive Director of the Sri Lanka council for the Blind S.L.
Hettiarachchi is the introducer to chess sport for the visually impaired
population in Sri Lanka. 40 sportsmen and sportswomen participated at
the tourney Slidents. Teachers, war heroes were among them. Results:
Champion Corporal H.R. Ratnanayaka at Embilipitiya. He had sacrificed
his eyes for sake of the country and the nation at the terrorist war in
the verth and east. He was the champion int eh tourney 2011 also.
|
A chess game in progress |
1st runner-up: Nuwan Sudesh Student at Deat and Blind school
Ratmalana. He was the 1st runner-up at the tourney in 2011 also. 2nd
runner-up: Lance Corporal L.U. Indrajith a war hero who had lost his
eyes at the hands of the terrorists war in the North and East.
He is from Kitulgala. The chess coach in chess sport at Deat and
blind school Ratmalana and Council for the blind Sanjeewa Karunaratne
(Vision impaired) and Rasik Thilak Silva the coordinator of the sports
division int eh council for the blind. (vision impaired) organized the
tourney. The peoples Finance (PLC sponsored the programme |
