Warrior woman Anusha eyes her farewell blows | Sunday Observer

Warrior woman Anusha eyes her farewell blows

1 July, 2018
Anusha Kodithuwakku lands a straight-left on her opponent
Anusha Kodithuwakku lands a straight-left on her opponent

Queen of the local ring Anusha Kodithuwakku proved she is fit and ready for a tilt at glory at the Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang in August when she won a bronze medal in the women’s flyweight category at the Ulaanbataar Cup Mongolia last week.

At 39, Sri Lanka’s boxing heroine Kodithuwakku, is at the tail end of an illustrious career which includes winning a historic bronze medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April this year. The Asian Games will be one of her last major competitions with her swansong likely to beat the World Championships in New Delhi in November.

Kodithuwakku, a longtime employee of MAS Unichela, showed her impending retirement will leave a huge void as she took on a strong field at one of the warm-up events to the Asian Games, emerging with a bronze medal in the 51kg flyweight class in Mongolia.

“I’m very pleased with my performance as I will come against these same boxers at the Asian Games too. Winning a medal will boost my confidence,” she said.

It will be her first appearance at the Asian Games. Four years ago, an injury forced Anusha out of the Incheon Asian Games.

“It was a noteworthy performance as she faced stronger opponents than she came up against at the Commonwealth Games. There were boxers from North and South Korea, Russia, Iran and hosts Mongolia, who are all of a high quality. We are very pleased that Anusha was able to reach the semi-finals where she lost narrowly to a North Korean girl,” said coach Manju Wanniarachchi.

The garments giant has been involved in the sport for decades and are paying for Kodithuwakku and three other boxers as they bid to win a place in the Asian Games squad. Sri Lanka was represented by six boxers in Mongolia, three men and three women.

“Anusha’s next competition as she looks ahead to the Asian Games will be the Police Commissioner’s Cup in Indonesia in July. Two other girls from MAS who went to Mongolia too – Keshani Hansika and Krishmi Dharmathilake– will accompany her,” Wanniarachchi revealed.

The Indonesian event will take place at the same venue where the Asian Games boxing competition will be held leaving Anusha delighted at the opportunity to use this as a dress-rehearsal for her medal bid in August.

Kodithuwakku, a former Sri Lanka women’s rugby Sevens player, has made clear her intentions to retire after 17 hard years in the ring. She became the first woman to win a boxing medal for Sri Lanka at the Commonwealth Games in April - in the process breaking a 68-year medal drought in the sport - when she knocked down Brandy Barnes of the Cayman Islands in the quarterfinals.

Anusha’s bid to reach the gold medal bout was stopped by India’s celebrated fighter Mary Kom who won on points. With a Commonwealth Games bronze medal in her hands, Anusha is now bidding for one last hurrah at the Asian Games and the World Championships.

 

Comments