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15th Asian Junior Team Championships
25-29 Jan, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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India and Hong Kong
claim team titles in Colombo
India (Boys) and Hong Kong (Girls) are the Champions of the
15th Asian Junior Team Championship 2001 in the Ratmalana
Air Force Squash Complex.
In the 1st Final, in a repeat of the 16th Asian Games in
Guanghzou, where also Hong Kong played Malaysia in the
Final, but at the Senior level, where Malaysia went on to
beat Hong Kong. But in today’s final Hong Kong got the
better of Malaysia.
Hong Kong No 1, Tong Tze Wing started the win by beating Tan
Yan Xin, 3/0 in 36 mins with a score of 5, 8 and 7. Hong
Kong No 2, Ho Kar Po carried on with a win over Vanessa Raj
also 3/0 and 36 mins, but with the score of 2, 7 and 11
In the Boys Final, India upset the favourite Pakistan 2/1,
with Ramit Tandon and Mahesh Mangaonkar winning their
matches for India.
Ramit is the hero for India when he had to battle Danish
Atlas Khan for 1 hour and 30 mins, to win 3/2 and won the
1st point for India. Ramit won the 1st set, 11 – 7 creating
great excitement and expectation from the Indian team and
supports. He lost the 2nd set, 6-11, but came back strongly
in the 3rd winning 11-9. Danish then took the 4th set at
11-8, setting a tough 5th set ahead. The 2 players great
squash, but Ramit finally won at 11-9. It was a great match
and the crowd were entertained to a high level of squash,
that kept everyone glued to their seats until the very last
point.
Pakistan No 2, Nisiri Iqbal then beat Abhishek Pradhan 3/0
in 30 mins with the score of 4, 7 and 3.
Finally it was done to the 3rd players of both team to
deliver the wining point. Mahesh Mongaonkar played a steady
game and won 3/0 with the score of 7, 2 and 6, giving India
a historical win over Pakistan.
The trophies were presented to the winning Teams by the
President of the Asian Squash Federation, Dato A Sani Karim.
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FORCING THE PACE!
The Sri Lankan Air Force has been a driving force
behind sports promotion in Sri Lanka for many years – with
squash to the fore. Indeed, thirty years ago it was Air
Force officers who initiated the formation of the national
squash body.
More recently in early 2009, as soon as the internal strife
that had affected the country abated, they were at it again.
At the Ratmalana base close to Colombo the Air Force started
to lay plans for a squash centre. Not a couple of courts but
a full blown six court complex, all with tiered seating and
accompanying facilities.
Air force personnel drew the plans, arranged the tenders for
courts and everything else and got it built.
While floods meant that the near completed building was
submerged under a few feet of water, that obstacle was put
behind them and in October 2010 the centre was inaugurated.
The sound of squash balls could be heard, the fans in the
ceiling started to turn. Perfect timing for the third Asian
Junior Championships currently taking place.
Asian Squash Federation Vice president Srivatsan
Subramaniam was lavish with his praise. ‘The centre is
laid out beautifully with local materials very well used .
it really is a prefect venue for the Asian Juniors’, he
said.
Not surprisingly, Sri Lanka SRA President Oliver Guruge
is elated to have the new facility on stream. ‘We now have a
big base for squad training and tournaments; but more than
that we are very grateful to the Air Force for generously
giving us the green light for making the facilities
available in the afternoons for local schools, none of which
have their own courts. Maybe 12 schools a week will be able
to benefit’.
But this week he has even more to thank the Air force for.
Between flying transport planes this week they have provided
operational support for the Asian Juniors too.
The Sri Lanka SRA can truly say that the force is with them!
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 28-Jan,
Down to the finals
Peter Chee reports
Girls Semi and 5th to 8th
Hong Kong and Malaysia are in the Final of the
Girls ...
Malaysia, who upset India yesterday, today beat Singapore
2/0. Tan Yan Xin started the win when she beat Mao Shi Hui
3/0, with the score of 5, 8 and 11 in 30 mins. Then Celine
Yeap carried on to beat Sherilyn Yang also 3/0, score of 7,
11 and 8 in 35 minutes.
 In
the other semi it took Hong Kong had to battle longer to
beat India. Tong Tze Wing started by beating Anaka
Alankamony 3/1, with the score of 5, 5, (8) and 8 in 35 mins.
Lee Ka Yip playing next had to play a 5 setter to beat
Aparajitha Balamurukan 3/2, score of 5, (9), 6, (4) and 5 in
40mins
India and Singapore will be joint 3rd ...
Japan came in 5th when they beat China and Sri Lanka came in
7th when they beat Iran
The Final between Hong Kong (Seed 1) and Malaysia (Seed 3)
will be played at 4.00pm
Boys Semi and 5th to 11 Position
Pakistan the favorite will take on India in
the Final for the Boys at 5.30pm
 In
the Pakistan, Hong Kong match, Danish Atlas Khan beat Choy
Kit Lun 3/0, with the score of 6, 1 0 and Syed Ali Mujtaba
Sham then went on to beat Ho Tze Ho 3/1, with the score of
10, (8), 7, 8.
India beat Malaysia to enter the Final with Ramit Tandom
beating Muhammad Zul Azi 3/0 with the score of 5, 7 and 2 in
31 minutes. Then Mahesh Mangaonkar went on to beat Sanjay
Singh Chal 3/0 with the score of 8, 7 and 9 in 33 minutes
Hong Kong and Malaysia are joint 3rd
The most exciting match in the evening was for the 5th and
6th position between Japan and home team Sri Lanka, where
the 2nd seed players playing in the last match had to battle
for more than an hour, where eventually Hayate Gunji beat
Binura Jayasuriya 3/2 with the 5th game ending at 13-11.
Kuwait to come in 7th after beating Singapore 2/1, China
beat Iran 2/1 to come in 9th while Jordan came in 11th.
More Photos |
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N.
Ramachandran Conferred
"Friend of Sri Lankan Squash"
The spectacular opening ceremony of the 15th Asian Junior
Team Championships took place at the exotic Mount Lavinia
Hotel by the bay in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
11 Asian member countries with 11 men’s teams and 8 women’s
teams witnessed the 90 minute long ceremony that was filled
with speeches, delightful dances by the Sri Lankan Air force
and distribution of special awards.
The chief guest for the occasion was the world record holder
spinner Muthiah Muralitharan, the highest test wicket taker
of all time.
The President of the World Squash Federation Mr. N.
Ramachandran declared the event open. Seated next to each
other on the high table, the cricket ledged with the squash
‘boss’ was indeed a sight to behold. The highlight of the
night however was when Mr. Ramachandran was bestowed the
title of ‘Friend of Sri Lankan Squash’.
The iconic Sri Lankan Muthiah Muralitharan did the honours
of presenting this prestigious award to a delighted Mr.
Ramachandran. Mr. Ramachandran’s wife, children and close
relatives seated at the main table beamed with pride.
In recognizing Mr. Ramachandran contributions to SL squash,
Mr. Oliver Guruge, President SL Squash highlighted the
benevolence of Mr. Ramachandran and the numerous other ways
he has supported them, which included the provision of
coaching and refereeing services. He concluded by saying SL
squash were indeed honoured to confer the title ‘Friend of
Sri Lankan Squash’ to Mr. N. Ramachandran.
In his response Mr. Ramachandran thanked SL squash for the
special award and said he was humbled by this presentation.
He reiterated that he always felt that SL and India shared a
cordial relationship and the feeling of friendship was
mutual.
Mr. Ramachandran complimented SL for their efforts over all
these years, which has produced remarkable results.
Mr. Ramachandran finished by saying that SL and India will
go forward hand in hand and requested the legendary spinner
to bowl for squash as well; not only in SL but the rest of
the world.
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