Sri Lankan shuttler Sherleen bags Under-17 Girls Singles gold in Saudi

Wednesday, 1 January 2025 00:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sherleen Amelia Thassim

Sherleen Amelia Thassim won the claimed the Girls’ Singles title of the Inter-Club Tournament, one of the main competitions organised and conducted by Saudi Badminton Federation. Sherleen, 15-years of age, representing her club, Al-Faisaly BC from Al-Majmah, which is approximately 200km away from the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, competed in the Under-17 age group and won the Girls’ Singles gold medal at the core tournament to move up in ranks.

The tournament featured professional badminton clubs from Saudi Arabia, where the shuttler with Sri Lankan roots claimed the gold medal with ease in the final. She has been in constant form with her training schedule of five days of extensive practice to achieve the plum in her age category.

Recently, Sherleen was elected as the Head Prefect at her school Al Roward International School because of her dedication, commitment, and leadership qualities as a student in the 10th grade. She is an outstanding American-Sri Lankan talent, who also speaks fluent Arabic. The grand-daughter of late S.B.C. Thassim, who was one of the founders of Y.M.M.A, Maligawatta catering for the poor, Sherleen is proving to be a versatile shuttler on the brinks of representing Saudi Arabia at international level.

During the second week of January 2025, Sherleen is set to compete in the Elite 8 Tournament that will be held in Jeddah. This is where the top tier Under-17 girls will come together to be ranked among the best. In 2023, she managed to bag the bronze medal in Singles and silver Medal in Doubles in the Under-15 girls. Her brothers, Noah (13) and Kayan (14), who are also from Al Rowad International students, played for the boys Under-15 category and secured multiple medals for their respective professional clubs hosted by the Saudi Badminton Federation.