Deepika and Dinesha win Gold Medal
Sri Lanka’s Deepika Bandara and Dinesha Prasadani emerged champions when they beat Shehani Asanga and Sulochana Jayawardane in two straight sets (21-15, 21-10) in a home and home affair to bag the women’s gold medal at the inaugural Central Asian Beach Volleyball Championships concluded at the Beach Park Negombo on Sunday.
After hard fought battle Shehani and Sulochana had to settle for the silver medal, while Chathurika Weerasinghe and Hashini Malsha totally outplayed Maldives Aminath Rudhaina and Hawwa Nazima 21-04, 21-09 to clinch the bronze medal. In fact Sri Lanka women’s dominated this tournamant with winning gold,silver and bronze medals.
The winning Dinesha Prashadini and Deepika Bandara also qualified to play Commonwealth Games qualification round with this performance. Meanwhile, in the men’s final between Sri Lanka’s Anjana Sandeepana -Sandun Madusanka and Iran’s Sina Shoukati Shekararaei- Mojitaba Aro, saw the Iranians duo walking out as winners 2-0 (21-12, 21-16). In the third place game Iran number two game got a walk over from Sri Lankan pair Tyrone Jayathileke and Ashen Rashmittha to win the bronze meda .
Earlier at the women’s semi finals Shehani Asanga and Sulochana Jayawardena beat Chaturika Weerasinghe and Hasini Malsha by 3-0 (12/20,22/20,15/12) while Deepika Bandara and Dinesha Prasadini won 21/11,21/12
In the men’s semi finals Iran number one team defeated Iran number two team ..21/14,21/19 while Sri Lankan pair Anjana Sandeepa received’ walk over from Tyron Jayathilake and Ashen Rashmita .
The Gold medal winners received US dollars 1500, while silver medal and bronze medal winners received US dollars 1000 and 500 respectively ..Anuradha Wijekoon the secretary to the Sports Ministry and Sri Lanka Volleyball Federation President and Vice President of NOC Kanchana Jayaratne gave away the awards
The first Central Asian Beach Volleyball Tournament was organised by the Sri Lanka Volleyball Federation under the supervision of the Asian Volleyball Federation and the Central Asian Volleyball Federation.