Textured Jersey & Brandix Fast Fashion become 2016 ‘Mercury Trophy’ Volleyball champs

The champion women’s and men’s teams at the 2016 Brandix ‘Rasadiya Kusalanaya’ volleyball tournament with representatives of the Group management

Virtuoso volleyball was on display when the teams from Textured Jersey Lanka Plc (TJL) and Brandix Fast Fashion Mirigama won the men’s and women’s finals of the annual ‘Rasadiya Kusalanaya’ (Mercury Trophy) Volleyball Tournament, conducted by the Brandix Group at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.

The men’s team from TJL Avissawella defeated Brandix Athleisure, Polonnaruwa 22-25, 25-23, 26-24 while in the women’s final the team from Brandix Fast Fashion 2, Mirigama won the trophy in straight sets, soundly beating Brandix Casualwear, Giritale 25-15, 25-15. More than 300 players participated in the preliminary rounds of the tournament. In its sixth year, the Brandix Rasadiya Kusalanaya is the largest volleyball tournament conducted by a private sector entity in Sri Lanka. 

Conducted for non-executive employees, or associates as they are referred to at Brandix, the tournament provides an opportunity for Brandix associates to develop and showcase their skills in the country’s national sport while promoting employee interaction and team spirit.

For their individual performances at this year’s men’s final, Sujeewa Jayathunga and Haritha Fernando of Textured Jersey Lanka Plc were adjudged Best Setter and Best Player respectively, while Amila Ishan of Brandix Athleisure, Polonnaruwa was declared Best Attacker. 

Among the female players in the final, Dilhani Madhushika, Deepika Bandara and Oshini Chapa, all of whom are from Brandix Fast Fashion 2, Mirigama, received the awards for Best Setter, Best Attacker and Best Player respectively. The finals on 13 August were witnessed by more than 5,000 Brandix associates.

“The quality of play continues to improve each year and we are happy to see that this tournament, while promoting the sport, is contributing to building the pool of players for other mercantile and national tournaments,” said Senior General Manager Group Human Resources of Brandix Colonel Sujith Jayasekara. “It also contributes immensely to building character, versatility and leadership skills among our associates.” 

The highest employment provider in Sri Lanka’s export sector, the Brandix Group employs more than 48,000 associates in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh and is the pioneer of the concept of ‘total solutions’ in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector.