The Island, Friday 18th August, 2006 Countdown ends, SAG begins by Revata S. Silva The much anticipated 10th South Asian Games will commence at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo this afternoon with a colourful opening cere- mony. Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa will be the chief guest at the opening ceremony. A city marred by bomb blasts, terror- ist activities and political turmoil, the commercial capital of Colombo will be in focus today for good reasons, with the regions’ biggest sporting event getting underway there. A total number of 2075 athletes from eight countries will vie for supremacy in this mega regional sporting event which was inaugurated in 1984 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A colourful cultural show will be the highlight of the opening cere- mony. The SAG will go on till August 28. The opening ceremony is scheduled to begin at 4.00 p.m. today. Due to the tight schedule, football and badminton began last Monday (14) and Wednesday (16) respectively, days before the official launch. According to the organisers, Sri Lanka will be fielding the most number of competitors (462), this time. India will be sending 429, Pakistan (375), Nepal (277), Bangladesh (240), Afghanistan (123), Maldives (98) and Bhutan (71). India won the SAG (formerly known as the South Asian Federation Games), comprehensively on nine occasions, but Sri Lanka clinched the coveted athletics championships in 1991 in Colombo, the last time the games were held here, tak- ing 15 golds, ahead of India’s 10. Multi-coloured lights illuminate the Sugathadasa Stadium and its environs, yesterday, a day prior to the official opening ceremony of the 10th South Asian Games, to be held in Sri Lanka from There will 20 disciplines at this year’s SAG. Out of those, eight, including all August 18 to 28. - (Pic by Kamal Wanniarachchi) track-and-field events, will be staged at Maldives and Pakistan not participating) (Afghanistan, Bhutan and Maldives not Club, Maitland Crescent (Afghanistan, University of Colombo Sports Complex, the Sugathadasa Indoor and Outdoor *Hockey – (Aug. 21-25) Nandimithra participating) Bhutan and Maldives not participating) Reid Avenue (Bhutan, Maldives and Stadiums in Colombo. Ekanayake Hockey Grounds, Matale *Rowing – (Aug. 19-21) University of *Table Tennis – (Aug. 18-23) S. India not participating) Participating countries (Synthetic Turf) (Bangladesh, India and Moratuwa Course, Bolgoda Lake Thomas’ College Indoor Stadium (Hall *Wrestling – (Aug. 24-26) University at SAG-Colombo 2006: Sri Lanka participating) (Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka partici- ‘B’), Mount Lavinia (Afghanistan not of Colombo Sports Complex, Reid Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, *Judo – (Aug. 25-27) S. Thomas’ pating) participating) Avenue (Bhutan, Maldives and India India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri College Sports Complex, Mount Lavinia *Shooting – (Aug. 19-26) SL Navy *Taekwondo – (Aug. 25-27) St. not participating) Lanka. (Bhutan and Maldives not participat- Base Shooting Range, Welisara Joseph’s College Indoor Sports *Wushu – (Aug. 19-22) St. Joseph’s Events at other venues: ing) (Afghanistan, Bhutan and Maldives not Complex, Darley Road, Colombo College Indoor Sports Complex, Darley *Archery – (Aug. 23-26) Gymkhana *Kabaddi – (Aug. 19-26) National participating) (Maldives not participating) Road, Colombo (Bangladesh, Bhutan Club, Maitland Crescent (Afghanistan, Youth Centre, Maharagama *Squash – (Aug. 19-26) Gymkhana *Weight Lifting – (Aug. 19-21) and Maldives not participating). SA Games Badminton C’ship Sri Lanka Cricket set to Kingswood crush Bronze for Chandrika; claim compensation Ananda 72-12 by Rukshan Razak – Kandy Sports Corr by Rex Clementine the best possible security that someone Defending league and knock out champions, Thushara, Duminda in final can get in the island and there was no Kingswood College Kandy crushed Ananda College Sri Lanka Cricket officials will lodge valid reason for them to cancel the tour on group training. There is no way for a Colombo 72 points (7 goals, 4 tries, 1 penalty) to 12 (1 by Reemus Fernando a complaint with the International mid way. We’ll take up the matter coach to rectify individual technical goal, 1 try) in their Inter-School Division 1 Group A Sri Lanka’s unsung heroes in bad- Cricket Council claiming compensa- strongly with the ICC and seek com- errors with the facilities we have here. We rugby match played at Bogambara Stadium, yester- minton, Thushara Edirisinghe and tion from South Africa for withdrawing pensation from South Africa.” should have long term plans to develop day. Duminda Jayakody beat India’s Jishnu from the ODI competition in Colombo The official also said that Sri Lanka badminton if we are to compete with pro- At the breather, Kingswood led 22-12. Sanyal and Akshay Dewalkar by 2 sets to on Thursday. The tri-nation tourna- Cricket had insured the ODI series fessionals like the Indians,” she conclud- Kingswood College skipper and number 8 Naveen 1 in the semi-finals of the Men’s Doubles ment that also included India was against acts of terrorism with a ed. Wijethunga scored four tries. Joining the ‘party’ was badminton competition of the 10th South called off without a match being played Colombo based Security Company and While the Sri Lanka Badminton centre Gayan Weeraratne, who also touched down on Asian Games at the Sugathadasa as the Proteas raised security concerns ensured that financial damages can be Federation’s predictions of gold medals four occasions, while his brother and scrum half Stadium, yesterday. and left home last night. claimed. seems far fetched, India, last SA Games Roshan Weeraratne touched down twice. Flanker Sri Lanka’s gold medal hopes in indi- A top cricket official told ‘The It was also revealed that SLC’s overall champions and badminton cham- vidual events had all but evaporated Island’ yesterday that at the comple- efforts to convince India to remain and Melan Kulathunga scored the other. pions, will have a positive start today as before Edirisinghe and Jayakody booked tion of the three ODIs against India play a five match series instead of The Kingswoodians looked disjointed in the initial they are certain of at least four gold their final berths. It will be a tough final the hosts will take up the matter with three games failed. India play their half, which paved the way for the Anandians to punch medals, even before the Games are cere- today for the Sri Lankan duo as they will the game’s parent body ‘strongly’. first match of the series today at the holes in their defence. As a result, Ananda’s agile fly moniously declared open. meet a strong Indian pair in Rupesh “South Africa’s so called security SSC followed by games on Sunday and half touched down twice. Winger Thushira Results: Men’s Singles - Semi Final 1- Chetan Kumar and Sanave Thomas. concerns are unacceptable. We gave Tuesday at the same venue. Jayasundara added the extra points for the second try. Meanwhile, Chandrika de Silva, who Anand (India) beat Zeeshan Umer (Pakistan) 2-1 For the home team, it was play-maker Dev Anand won a bronze at the last SA Games, had to (21/10, 16/21, 21/07. Semi Final 2- Nikkil Kanetkar who put over a penalty and converted on seven occa- be contended with a bronze medal after (India) beat Waji Ali Choodhry (Pakistan) 2-0 (21/10, sions, while missing four. being beaten in the semi-finals of the 21/12) Sylvestrians in first inns. win In the second half, the Randles Hills boys settled Women’s singles. When she coupled up Women’s Singles-Semi Final 1- Trupti SLC to down and put on a terrific performance to blank the with Thilini Jayasinghe in the Women’s Murugunde (India) beat Renu Chandrika de Silva (Sri by Reemus Fernando Yasira Chanuka and visitors. Doubles semi-finals and partnered Lanka) 2-0 (21/11, 21/10)- Semi Final 2- Women’s refund St. Sylvester’s College Roshan Jayathissa shared They dominated the line outs, set scrums and the Thushara Edirisinghe in the Mixed Singles B.R. Meenakshi (India) beat Sumina Shrestha earned a first innings victory seven wickets between them rucks and mauls to completely outplay the Anandians. Double semis the results were the same. (Nepal) 2-0 (21-09, 21/04) tickets over Kegalu Vidyalaya after to restrict Kaglu Vidyalaya Aruna Rankothge refereed. While Sri Lankan shuttlers lost the Men’s Doubles - Semi Final 1- Indian pair restricting visitors to 70 runs for 70 runs. Kingswood won all the junior games played before chance to dominate on their home soil as Rupesh Kumar and Sanave Thomas beat Pakistan the big ‘un’. they performed to an almost empty stadi- Refunds will be and managing to knock off Kegalu Vidyalaya 70 in 32 overs pair Muhammad Atique and Rizwan Azam 2-0 (21/17, made for the tickets 102 for 4 before rain abruptly (M.S. Liyanage 34 n.o; Yasira Chanuka Under-12: 38- 0, Under-14: 14-0 and Under-16: um, neighbouring India proved their pro- 21/13) Semi Final 2- Sri Lankan pair Thushara fessionalism making four out of five purchased for the ended their second round 4/22, Roshan Jayathissa 3/15, Maithree 17-0. Edirisinghe and Duminda Jayakody beat Indian pair finals, all Indian affairs. cancelled South Inter-School Under-17 Wijesekara 2/29) Jishnu Sanyal and Akshay Dewalkar 2-1 (21/13, The finals of Men’s Singles, Women’s Africa/India/Sri Division I cricket match St. Sylvester’s 102 for 4 in 23 overs Team effort sees Joes defeat 16/21, 21/16) Singles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Lanka tri-nation lim- played at Campus ground (Mohamed Feshal 25 n.o, Roshan Women’s Doubles - Semi Final 1- Indian Pair Science College Doubles will be battles between Indians ited overs series in Peradeniya, yesterday.