Hockey double for Airmen

S M Jiffrey Abdeen, - Kandy Sports Correspondent

Sri Lanka Air Force completed the fine double of winning both the men's and women's Hockey Championship titles at the 19th ‘People's Bank Super Sevens’ organized by Seetha Devi Balika Vidyalaya and sponsored by People's Bank and worked off for two days at the Asgiriya Stadium, Kandy.

This tournament saw many upsets and the most stunning performance was by ladies from Air Force who put an end to the five year run of victories by the Navy ladies who fielded a virtual national side having a galaxy of Sri Lanka players perhaps over confidence and complacency let them down. In the women's finals Sri Lanka Air Force beat Sri Lanka Navy 2-1.

For the winners Chathurika Premasiri came up with an outstanding performance by notching up both goals and the way she wielded the stick was like a sword in slicing through her opponents strong defence. For Navy Chathurika Wijesuriya scored their solitary goal.

This was Navy's first defeat in this tournament and also their first in any tournament in five years which makes the win by the ladies from Air Force Most memorable and adding more glitter. The individual awards went as follows. Best goal keeper: Jeewantha Keerthiratne (Navy)

Most Outstanding Player: Chathurika Premasiri (Sri Lanka Air Force)

Men's Championship.

In the men's finals defending champions Sri Lanka Air Force was held to a thrilling scoreless draw by Sri Lanka Police.

The Airmen fielding a very strong outfit were virtually grounded by cops by constructive play and many attempts by the airmen to penetrate their opponents defence were foiled with good judgement of and positional play.

When the match ended in a draw the penalty tie breaker system was implement in fading light perhaps the Police team would have been happy to end up as joint champions as decided in the championship for girls schools.

But the organisers went ahead with the penalty strokes which the Air Force won 3-2. Sri Lanka goal keeper Thusith Ratnasiri of Sri Lanka Air Force was adjudged the best goal keeper.

The Most Outstanding players award went to Thilina Perera of Police for his excellent play which put the Police stickers on par with the Airmen in the field of play.

Sri Lanka Army clinched the third place by defeating Navy 2-1 in the consolation finals.