The Sri Lanka Army Judo Team grabbed their eighth win in a row at the 60th National Judo Championship, which ended on Sunday at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. This two-day championship, arranged by the Sri Lanka Judo Federation, took place in two venues, with the first day happening at YMCA Colombo.
In both the Men’s and Women’s categories, Sri Lanka Army dominated, maintaining their winning streak for eight years, with a brief interruption in 2019 when their Women’s team finished as runners-up to Sri Lanka Air Force. This time, Sri Lanka Air Force’s Chamara Dharmawardena claimed the Men’s National Champion title, while Army’s Hiruni Imesha was declared the Women’s National Champion.
The Sri Lanka Army Men’s team secured six gold medals, eight silver medals, and six bronze medals. Sri Lanka Air Force finished as the runners-up with five gold medals, two silver medals, and eight bronze medals, while Sri Lanka Navy Men’s team secured the third place with one silver medal and three bronze medals.
The Women’s team of the Sri Lanka Army bagged five gold medals, three silver medals, and three bronze medals. Sri Lanka Air Force Women’s Team secured the runners-up position with four gold medals, six silver medals, and four bronze medals, while Sri Lanka Navy Women’s team claimed the third spot with two gold medals and three bronze medals.
Hiruni Imesha, a key player from the champion Army Women’s team, showcased outstanding performance by winning two gold medals and contributing to a silver medal in a team event. In the Men’s category, Chamara Nuwan Dharmawardhana, an Olympic qualified judoka, was crowned the Men’s National Champion.
The Sri Lanka Army Men’s team, consisting of 26 members and captained by Dharmawardhana, displayed exceptional teamwork throughout the championship. The Army Women’s team, with 11 players, demonstrated their prowess under the coaching of KLCK Leemagastenne since 2019.
Major General WGADW Nanayakkara, the Wanni Commander and President of the Army Judo Committee was the chief guest at the award ceremony. Wing Commander Majula Weerasinghe, the President of the Sri Lanka Judo Association, also attended the event.
Sajeewa Jayakody