Niluka in fine form to win triple

Wednesday, 15 October 2014 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Shamseer Jaleel Niluka Karunaratne won the triple crown and Visakhian Tilini Hendahewa won the ladies’ singles for the second time in her career at the 62nd Badminton Nationals, organised by the Sri Lanka Badminton Association and worked off at the Jayatilleke Sports Complex in Nawalapitiya over the last five days.

Karunaratne combined with Nadeesha Gayathri to get past Rajitha Dehanayake and Achini Ratnasiri to win the mixed doubles event. He then beat his brother Dinuka Karunaratne 21/17 and 21/15 to win the men’s single. In his final event he paired up with his brother to beat Rajitha Dahanayake and Hasitha Shanaka in a three-setter, winning it 2-1. Tilini Hendahewa of Visakha Vidyalaya beat Achini Ratnasiri of McLarens Holdings 2-0. However, Ratnasiri partnered up with Upuli Weerasinghe to win the women’s doubles by triumphing over former national champion Thilini Jayasinghe and Gayathree Herath. Results Masters doubles Over 55 Azar Hamdoon and Mohan Wijesinghe beat Parakrama Basnayake and Nimal Gunasiri Masters singles over 55 Louis Karunaratne beat Ariyasena Wanasinghe Masters doubles Over 50 Sumith Perera and Amanda Weerasinghe beat Suhair Azeez and S.P. Kumar Masters singles Over 50 Zuhair Azeez beat Aruna Krishantha Masters doubles over 40 Clarena Homer and Upendra Jayawardena beat Subash Janaka and Duminda Jayakoddy Masters singles Over 40 U Jayawardena beat C. Homer Masters singles Over 35 Shimal Aponso beat D. Kaluarachchi Men’s Plate Gehan Moses beat Barisha Maduranga Women’s Plate Thanushi Ratnayake beat Bhagya Deemanthi. Open mixed doubles Niluka Karunaratne and Nadeesha Gayathri beat Rajitha Dahanayake and Achini Ratnasiri Open women’s doubles Achini Ratnasiri and Upuli Weerasinghe beat Gayathree Herath and Thilini Jayasinghe Open women’s singles Thinili Hendahewa (Visakha Vidyalaya) beat Achini Ratnasiri (McLarens Holdings) Open men’s singles Niluka Karunaratne (McLarens Holdings) beat Dinuka Karunaratne Open men’s doubles Niluka Karunaratne and Dinuka Karunaratne beat Hasitha Shanaka and Rajitha Dahanayake