Badminton Nationals 2021 begins on Monday

The traditional Badminton Nationals, 69th this time around, will commence at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on Monday, 13 December, and go on till Sunday, 19 December with a turnout of over 1,000 entries, including para-athletes for the first time around.

Sri Lanka Badminton is taking all health protocols into account to ensure the safety of all participants and officials with medical personnel in attendance to ensure no undue lapses occur. Stringent inspections will prevail with social distancing and face masks mandatory which the expanse of the Indoor Stadium amply provides for and will make compulsory for all those within the playing areas. 

A host of Sri Lanka’s best talent will be on display except for the current champion, Niluka Karunaratne, who is away at the World Championships in Spain. Dinuka Karunaratne has flown back from the UK to test the challenges in the Open Men’s events that will be posed by players of the calibre of Buwaneka Goonethilleka, Sachin Dias, Ranthushka Karunatilake, Rasindu Hendahewa, Viren Nettasinghe and Dumindu Abeywickrama. In the Men’s Double, it is difficult to imagine a serious challenge to Buwaneka and Sachin, who have just returned from Bangladesh having won the recent international championships, while it is also unlikely that Sachin and Kavidi Sirimanna can be overwhelmed in the Mixed Doubles event. In the Women’s Open, Thilini Hendahewa will make a strong comeback after a long break, but not without a stiff contest from recent champs, Dilmi Dias and Hasini Ambalangodage. 

In the Senior Category, all age groups from 35 years onwards, both Men’s & Women’s, are being contested heavily, while the Junior Category will see a large influx of boys and girls from ages 13 – 19 vying for honors. The Open Category will comprise of top contenders in five major events where the big battles will be a treat to watch.

BWF rules will apply, ably conducted by veteran referees Sanjeewa Wijesekera, Lakpriya Edirisinghe and Samanthi Nawarathne, supported by experienced foreign umpires from Nepal and Bangladesh. The tournament is led by SLB Chairperson Lakshmi Punchihewa, ably assisted by Event Director Saman Wijesinghe with Jude Fernando, who will oversee coordination and logistics to ensure a smoothly run program. All arrangement is under the guidance of SLB President Rohan de Silva and the Executive Committee Members working to deliver an outstanding sporting experience. For the winners, prize money totalling Rs. 1.5 million is on offer along with competition awards and prizes. 

As SLB proudly boasts, ‘Serving for Success’ is a motto they believe in and deliver each time players meet to test their skills and advance the value of badminton.