Sri Lanka’s young boxers showed courage and skill at the ASBC Asian Under-22 and Youth Boxing Championship, winning five silver medals and 18 bronze medals as the 11-day tournament came to a close at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo.
The final day saw Yazmin Usaith, Sri Lanka’s promising male boxer, and three determined women fighters – Hansini Nayakarathna, Narasinghe and Nethmi Tharushika – step into the ring for their gold medal bouts.
Yazmin Usaith on podium with silver
Despite a brave fight, all four had to settle for silver after closely contested matches against powerful opponents from Kazakhstan.
In the men’s Under-22 75kg final, Yazmin Usaith faced Kazakhstan’s strong boxer Aman Konsbekov. The local crowd cheered loudly for the Sri Lankan, who fought with heart and spirit but Konsbekov’s experience helped him win the bout on points.
Usaith’s silver medal was a proud moment for the home supporters and a promising sign for Sri Lanka’s future in boxing. In the Women’s Under-22 category, Hansini Nayakarathna fought bravely in the 63kg final against Kazakhstan’s Aruzhan Zhangabayeva. Narasinghe took on Kazakhstan’s Shugyla Nalibay in the 75kg final, while Nethmi Tharushika battled Zhibek Zharaskyzy also from Kazakhstan, in the 81kg bout.
All three Sri Lankans gave it their all, showing skill and courage in the ring, but the Kazakh boxers proved too strong on the final day.
Kazakhstan dominated the tournament, winning gold medals across several categories, both in men’s and women’s events.
The Central Asian nation’s boxers showed their class throughout the championship, leaving no room for surprises in the finals.
Sri Lanka finished the championship with five silver and 18 bronze medals, marking one of their best performances in recent international boxing events.
The tournament, which saw participation from top young boxers across Asia, gave valuable exposure and experience to the island nation’s rising talents.
