Thursday 2nd February, 2006 11 Attygala reaches milestone in Asian tennis umpiring

sitha Attygala made a commend- Federation in Hong Kong that same able entry into the history books year. Aof Tennis by becoming the first He was designated to umpire the Asian official to be awarded the Silver finals of Kooyong Classic Badge Chair Umpire Certificate by the International last year in Melbourne, International Tennis Federation (ITF) Australia between World No. 1 Roger recently. Federer and World No. 2 Andy Roddick. As the youngest International Tennis He has also officiated in matches Referee in the world, Asitha was asked among top ranked world players such to preside over four Grand Slam events as, Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, - the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Gaston Gaudio, Ivan Ljubicic, Paradon Wimbledon and the US Open and the Srichaphan, Maria Sharapova, Elena Olympic Games, Athens in 2004, includ- Demetieva, Anastatia Myskina, Dinara ing four Grand Slams and Masters Cup Safina and Conchita Martinex. He has Finals held in Shanghai in 2005. officiated in over 850 professional He was certified as the International matches in more than 22 countries to Tennis Chair Umpire after successfully date. completing his final examination (Level A student of Ananda College, 3) in Tennis Umpiring which was con- Colombo, he was awarded the “Fritz ducted by the International Federation Cunes Award” in 1997 for the Most in Cairo, Egypt in 2001 and was later Outstanding Pupil. Aside from becom- certified as the level International Asitha Attygala officiating at a game. ing the tennis school captain in 1995, Federation in Cairo, Egypt in coach by he also received school colours for the Sri Lanka Tennis Association and International Tennis Referee after suc- International Tennis Federation (ITF). cessfully completing the final examina- Tennis. Asitha holds a Bachelor of In 2004 he went on to become an tion (level 3) in Tennis Refereeing con- Commerce (Honorary Degree) from the ducted by the International Tennis University of Colombo. Asitha Attygala in conversation with World No.1 Roger Federer.

Get to know the Sri Lanka Under-19 squad CPBA Badminton Chathupama - only Southerner in the squad: Championships from today Over 250 shuttlers are expected to take Bank has come forward to sponsor the part at the Central Province Open outstation tournament and the prize Dilhan - only player from Colombo suburbs Badminton Championships conducted money has also increased this time. This by the Central Province Badminton will be the national ranking tournament Association (CPBA), which will com- by Reemus Fernando and national selectors have already mence today (Feb 2) at the St. Anthony’s Chathupama Gunasinghe of informed the pool players that the results College, Katugastota Indoor Stadium. Richmond College is the only Southern would be considered for selections to the The finals are scheduled to be held on Province school cricketer to book a place national team that would take part at the February 5 at the same venue. in the Sri Lanka Under-19 squad. Having Thomas Cup Tournament, which is due According to the Secretary of the completed a successful school season in to take place in Jaipur, India later in the Central Province Badminton 2004 (with a haul of 50 wickets during February, as well as for the Association, Palitha Hettiarachchi, all the season), Gunasinghe entered the ini- the ranking shuttlers will take part the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne , tial Under-19 squad early last year. tournament and it is going to be tough Australia in March. Bowling for the first time on true competition once again. Last year Open Men’s and Women’s Singles England wickets, the medium pacie Thilina Jayasainghe created an upset Doubles, Mixed Doubles , Veterans Over picked 11 wickets in three matches in his beating top seed Chandrika de Silva for 40 singles, doubles, Masters Over 50 sin- first tour with the Sri Lanka Under-19. the first time in the Women’s Open final gles will be conducted in the tournament Since then he has been with the team. while U. D. R. P. Kumara emerged cham- organized by the CPBA. pions defeating former National In addition, Boys and Girls Under-14 Name: Chathupama Champion Duminda Jayakody. Singles event will also be conducted in Gunasinghe Date of Birth: 5th May 1987 For the first time National Savings the tournament. Height: 6 ft 3 in Dilhan Cooray Chathupama Gunasinghe School: Richmond member of Sri Lanka junior teams since College, Galle his debut foreign tour to India in 2003. Club: Singha Sports School: St. Sebastian’s Sri Lankan runners at Standard The right hander represented Sri Lanka Club – Ambalangoda College, Moratuwa Under-19 in the last three tours and was Batting: Right hand bat Club: SSC in cracking form in the on-going school Bowling: Right arm medium fast Batting: Right hand bat Chartered Mumbai Marathon cricket season. On his first appearance bowler Bowling: Right arm leg spinner in the season he scored an unbeaten 122 Highlights/Tours: against Royal College. He will be a good Toured England, India and Highlights/Tours: batting prospect for Sri Lanka in the Bangladesh with the Under-19 team in Toured Under 17 Asia Cup in India Under-19 World Cup. 2005 and represented Sri Lanka Under-19 in Name: Dilhan Cooray Cricket Idol: C. Ambrose England, India and Bangladesh in 2005 Date of Birth: 10th March, 1987 Dilhan Cooray has been a regular Cricket Idol: Jonty Rhodes Old Peterites in CDCA quarters The Old Peterites team led by Dinesh final round of the All Island Division III Shafraz clobbers Kekultota is going great guns this year tournament, which was cancelled by the and has qualified to play in the Q/finals then BCCSL. 154 for Kegalu of the Colombo District Cricket The team comprises former stalwarts Association and will meet Rogers Group of the school, including skipper Dines, on February 5 at St. Peter’s College Riaz Farouk, Rukshan Dias (nephew of Vidyalaya grounds. Roy Dias), Niranjan Dabare, Nadika The Peterites have also qualified to Wijeyaratne, Shehan Wijetunge, Sherby by Rukshan Razak - Kandy Sports Corr. play in the Western Provincial Cricket Van Heer and four of the first eleven The inter-school cricket tourna- tournament, which will be conducted by cricket team. The only two non-Peterite ment match played between Kegalu the WPCA. The club achieved this target members in the side are Lanka Vidyalaya and Nugawela Central in the year 2003 under the captaincy of Kamalgoda and Chanaka Fernando, the College ended in a draw as rain Rukshan Dias when they entered the Asst. Coach of St. Peter’s College. The team seen with Sabry Ghouse, Head of Consumer Banking for Standard Chartered and Romany stopped play at Nugawela Central Parakrama, Head of Corporate Affairs. grounds. Mohamed Shafraz’s belligerent A team of 10 long distance runners for the second time, attracting double the Wayamba Royal clinch U-19 Soccer knock of 154 in 151 deliveries included represented Sri Lanka and completed number of participants in the first 24 boundaries and six sixes helped the half marathon at the recently con- series. The race covers marathons in Championship Kegalu Vidyalaya to post 298 runs. cluded Mumbai Marathon. Upendra Nairobi, Singapore, Mumbai and Hong Then P.T.M. Karunaratne and Saliya Indika Bandara was placed sixth in the Kong representing some of the most Wayamba Royal College clinched the Nuwa Nalinda, Sasanka Dishan, half marathon with M. M. Asanka com- challenging environments and terrain in Tennakoon with 4 for 6 and 3 for 18 Inter-School Under-19 Football Sashika Dilshan, Supun Chaturanga ing in a close seventh. In the Ladies’ Half the world: contributed to bowl out Nugawela Championship Trophy. and Yohan Samira comprise the Marathon, Nilika Damayanthi was The Standard Chartered Mumbai Central for 89 runs. Following-on They beat Kegalle St. Mary’s College Waymaba Royal College team. placed tenth. Marathon was flagged off by the Nugawela were struggling at 110 for 7 tin the final match played recently. Mr. P. K. Jayakody the Teacher-in- More than 125 runners from 30 coun- Maharashtra state governor and a num- Amila Apendra, Chatura Udayanga, Charge of the Sports Unit of the col- wickets when a heavy downpour saved tries took part as a sequel to the ber of Standard Chartered Group execu- Chamara Suranjan, Dilanta Ashan, lege trained them into a winning out- them from further embarrassment. Standard Chartered ‘Greatest Race on tive directors, at 8 am on Sunday morn- Damit Kasun, Dushyanta Devapriya, fit. Chief Scores: Earth’, which is fast becoming “The ing. Tens of thousands of people lined Irazad Alsamir, Kasun Vitarana, Principal R. M. T. A. B. Eriyava, too, Kegalu Vidyalaya 298 ( M.A.A.M. World Cup of Marathons”. The high pro- the dusty streets to cheer the 27,500 run- Kanchana Isuru, Kavinda Bandra (cap- contributed immensely towards the Marasinghe 42, Mohamed Shafraz 154, file line-up attracted by “The Greatest ners who took part in the marathon, tain), Ranga Sampat, Ruvan Ratnayaka, college’s success. A. Jayasinghe 26, C.M.K. Bandara 2 for Race on Earth 2005/6” series has been bringing the city to a standstill. 78, P.P. Dinawansa 2 for 39, D.T. reflected by faster times in all three The Greatest Race promotes ìSeeing Jayashan 5 for 68) marathons so far, compared to the last is Believingî, through which Standard Nugawela Central 89 series. Henegama Mahabodhi Vidyalaya Chartered is committed to raising US$ 6 (D.Rajapaksa 21, M.A.A.M. “The Greatest Race on Earth” (GROE) million before the end of 2006. The Marasinghe 2 for 29, P.T.M. was created in 2004 the first-ever virtual Inter-House Athletic Meet money will help restore the sight of one Karunaratna 4 for 6, Saliya Tennakoon relay race across four marathons. There were over 260 participants, including 22 million people in developing nations From Dhammika Nimalasuriya, Weliveriya Corr. patronage of Kelaniya Zonal Direcetor 3 for 18) and 110 for 7 wickets in 46.5 The annual Inter-House Athletic Meet of Education MBMRatnayake and the national teams and 19 individuals who with visual impairment. In this spirit, overs. (D.S. Senaratne 61 n.o, Saliya of the WP/KE/Henegama Mahabodhi Guest of Honour will be Mahara entered the race. two visually-impaired teams, from Tennakoon 3 for 24 and L.Pathirana 3 Vidyalaya will be staged on Feruary 3 at Division Director of Education S A B Building on the success of the first Taiwan and South Korea, took part in for 23) 2 pm on the College ground, under the Karunaratne. year, Standard Chartered presents GROE and finished the race.