NOC, MOS and SLB come together to build an Olympic medallion – Thilini and Ranthushka

In a landmark move, the National Olympic Committee (NOC), Ministry of Sports (MOS), and SLB (Sri Lanka Badminton) came together with the private sector partners – CIC Feeds Ltd. and Sun Match Company who market

Thilini Hendahewa

Ranthushka Karunatilake

Vetcare and Sun Disinfectants, and Soorya Match Boxes respectively, to build the next Olympic hopefuls. 

The number 1 Men’s Badminton player – Ranthushka Karunatilake and Top shuttler in the Women’s segment, Thilini Hendahewa were selected by NOC in partnership with SLB for mental training and support for stronger technical training, said President NOC Suresh Subramaniam. SLB CEO Trevor Reckerman said that the unique model offered by NOC that involved mentoring too would keep an athlete in good stead for the future of the athlete and commended this initiative. With the clear end goal in mind, the SLB has crafted a professional course for their elite athletes which makes the SLB unique in the strategic discussions that SLB had been negotiating with the Ministry of Sports (MOS), the National Olympic Committee (NOC) brought this partnership, said Reckerman. 

NOC has now stepped into the breach and secured lucrative sponsorships for two more elite badminton athletes, Thilini Hendahewa and Ranthushka Karunatilake. Sun Match (Ceylon) Ltd., with their Sooriya brand of safety matches takes on the welfare of Thilini while CIC Vetcare has picked Ranthushka, both meticulously selected after careful evaluation by NOC, said National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka Marketing Committee Chairman Dr. Rohantha Athukorala. What is special in this sports sponsorship package is the model chosen by NOC in collaboration with SLB, to provide a personal development module and a hands-on mentoring scheme that will ensure that these athletes are offered the means to explore their full sports potential but also the means to enhance the quality of their personal lives.  

Sun Match Company CMO and Director of Marketing Gowri Rajan, and CIC Vetcare CEO and Director Ajith Weerasinghe had personally attended the initial sighting with NOC in early September and were eager to get the training to begin given the lockdown being lifted, said the NOC Chief Suresh Subramaniam and SLB. SLB Treasurer Mangala Gamage did the honours of being the principal witnesses of the agreement with Dr. Athukorala which gave strength to the MOU activated. Thilini Hendahewa and Ranthushka Karunatilake will compete internationally in the European circuit as part of the new paradigm shift, advocated by Sri Lanka Badminton in Sri Lanka.