Sri Lanka bags two bronze medals at 58th World Military Boxing Championship
September 29, 2021 04:00 pm
Sri Lanka has won two bronze medals at the 58th World Military Boxing Championship held in Moscow, Russia last week.
According to Sri Lanka Army, its light flyweight pugilist Lance Corporal Nuwan of Sri Lanka Armoured Corps (SLAC) had secured the medal under 49 kg weight category.
In the meantime, Women’s 75kg weight category bronze medal was clinched by Leading Aircraftwoman Gayani Kaluarachchi of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF).
She marked a historical milestone with her victory, becoming the first Sri Lankan female pugilist to make it to the podium in such a mega boxing event.
The 58th World Military Boxing Championship unfolded at the Patriot Exhibition and Convention Center in Moscow from September 19 - 26, attracting 231 boxers in total from 36 countries in ten weight categories for men and five for women.
A 23-member delegation, composed of tri-service and civil sector boxers, coaches, Officers and officials attended the event.
According to the Army, Lance Corporal Sajeewa Nuwan also competed and won medals in several previous national championships, inclusive of Laton Cup 2019-(Gold), Clifford Cup 2019- (Gold), National Championship-2019- (Gold) in addition to his gains in few other international championships.
In view of his unbeatable skills, the Sri Lanka Boxing Association had selected him earlier for the World Boxing Championship in Siberia as the one and only boxer from Sri Lanka.
Aircraftwoman Gayani Kaluarachchi has meanwhile achieved success at tournaments such as the Defence Services Games 2018, Layton Cup Boxing Tournament 2019 and Clifford Cup Boxing Tournament 2019, the SLAF said.
The delegation to Russia was headed by Major General Prasanna Ranawaka, Chief of Mission, Brigadier W.S.K Liyanawadu, International Referee (AIBA), coaches and players.
The event was also attended by the President of the International Military Sports Council (CISM) Colonel Hervé Piccirillo, President of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Umar Kremlev, Secretary-General of the Russian Boxing Federation Kirill Shchekutyev, the official ambassador of the Championship - Olympic champion, world and European champion, winner of the first and second World War Games, world military champion Colonel Alexander Lebzyak, as well as athletes, coaches, veterans and employees of the army club and the Russian Boxing Federation.
The 58th World Boxing Championship was inaugurated by a speech of Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation General of the Army Nikolai Pankov, who read out the welcoming address of the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, Hero of Russia, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu.
