Sri Lanka Badminton Association to send a six-member squad in the Asian Badminton Championships 2011
Sri Lanka Badminton Association has settled a six-member squad for the upcoming event of the Asian Badminton Championships 2011, which will take place in Chengdu, China from April 19- 24.
This individual championship is the biggest event in Asia and this time, it is offering the prize money of US$150,000.
In the category of Men’s Singles, Dinuka Karunaratne and his brother Niluka Karunaratne will raise Sri Lanka’s flag in China. Niluka is the nine-time national champion and is considered as the most successful player in the history of Badminton in Sri Lanka,
whereas, Dinuka is the ruling national champion. The brothers will open their campaign in the event from the qualifying round.
The Women’s team of Sri Lanka is comprised on four elite shuttlers including Achini Rathnasiri, Thilini Jayasinghe, Upuli Samanthika and Chandrika De Silva. Achini is the ruling national champion in the category of Women’s Singles, whereas, Thilini is the
former Women’s Singles champion. All female shuttlers will be playing the qualifying round of the Asian Badminton Championships.
Former Sri Lankan player, Kamal Gamlath, is appointed as the coach for this six-member squad for the championship. The coach expressed that Achini and Chandrika will participate in the category of Women’s Singles, whereas, Upuli and Achini will contest in
the Women’s Doubles category.
The coach also added that Upuli possesses all the techniques of Doubles, as she coupled with Achini and won the national championship of Women’s Doubles in the junior and senior categories.
Asian Badminton Championship 2011 is going to be organised by the Asian Badminton Federation through joining hands with the China Badminton Federation.
Kamal also commented on the importance of this tournament, as it will earn the shuttlers with much needed points, which will improve their world rankings. The points earned in the Asian Championships will help them in qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics.
The squad of Sri Lanka is determined to perform well, as there are many experienced shuttlers in this team who, on a given day, can outclass any player of the world.
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