Niluka badminton champ for past decade

Niluka badminton champ for past decade

By Chris Dhambarage
The dream of every badminton player is to win the national crown and to repeat that feat for ten successive years is a rare and unique achievement indeed.
This is what Niluka Karunaratne performed last week where he retained the men’s singles title for the tenth successive year by overcoming his younger brother Dinuka Karunaratne in straight sets in the final.

“I played against my other younger brother four years ago, but this is the first time I met my second younger brother in a final. I have won the triple crown for two years, doubles for four years and the singles event for ten years,” said Niluka soon after his success.
However the 26-year-old shuttler believes that winning the national men’s singles title for the first time as a schoolboy was one of the most memorable achievements in his career.
“I won my first national singles title in 2001 when I was 16 years old. I beat Manjula Fernando in the finals. Winning for the first time is the most memorable one for me. I was the youngest to win the men’s national championship in Sri Lankan badminton.”

Niluka attributed his success to sheer hard work, commitment and discipline where he spends a lot of time preparing ahead of a major ranking tournament.
“It was always a tough task to maintain my form and consistency throughout. I always felt that there are so many players following behind to beat me and win the nationals.
“I really worked hard to maintain that standard and keep the momentum going for the past ten years. I believe that winning the men’s national title is the most important thing in my life.
“I wanted to defend the national title every time I started a fresh tournament. So I have been working hard for this tournament more than any other event in the Sri Lanka badminton calendar.
“I prepare for the nationals at least two to three months prior to the tournament. I start my training very early and that has helped me to overcome the pressure from the other players.

“I have been playing against the same players now for more than three to four years and I know their style of play well, also their strengths and weaknesses on the court.”
Niluka further stated that he is proud of his achievements as a badminton player and will continue to play hard in an attempt to improve on his world rankings.
“I am the only player in the history of Sri Lankan badminton to be unbeaten for ten years in any men’s singles open tournament. I have sacrificed many things for the love of the game and will continue to strive for success in the coming years.

“I have been representing Sri Lanka in badminton from the age of 15. Since then I have played in several major events including the Asian Games, Asian Championships, Commonwealth Games, World Championships and World team championships.”
Niluka also stated that coming into the final 16 in the Asian Championships and reaching the pre-quarterfinals of the Commonwealth Games were some of the major highlights in his career.
“I have played against some of the best in the World and came into the pre quarterfinals in the Asian Championships in 2003 held in Indonesia when I was 19 years old.
“That was a very big achievement in my life and once again I came into the quarterfinals of the Commonwealth Games tournament held in Melbourne, Australia in 2006.

“This is the highest achievement ever by a Sri Lankan badminton player in a Commonwealth Games tournament. Then I came into the pre-quarterfinals of the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi, India.
“I was the runner-up in the Australian open tournament in 2005, Wales open final in 2003 and Iran open championship series finals in 2007. My best world ranking was 71 in the men’s singles in the year 2006/07.”
However Niluka is still disappointed that he could not make it to the last Olympic Games due to an illness and is determined to make his mark in the rest of the tournaments lined up for this year.

“Last year I was ranked 81 and came close to playing in the Olympic Games. However I was down with fever and missed out a couple of tournaments and because of that I could not make it.
“Next month I will be going for the Puerto Rico International Challenge, then to Miami, from there to England for three other international tournaments and thereafter to Italy for another international open event,” concluded Niluka Karunaratne.

(www.nation.lk)

Shuttle queen Achini on the throne

Visaka College schoolgirl Achini Ratnasiri underscored the fact that starting early in sport guarantees huge success when she bagged her third national women’s singles open title at the 59th Badminton Nationals which were worked off at Royal Sports Complex recently.

Achini is a gem this country possesses and the badminton fraternity watches with interest what plans the authorities have for this lass who has already put Sri Lanka on the World Map of badminton. Her father, KM Ratnasiri, told Sportstar that her daughter has the potential to win many more medals at international level, but as parents, he and his wife couldn’t support her financially when it comes to funding Achini’s foreign tours, which are costly.

Badminton critics point out that contesting the occasional international tournament, each year, will not take Sri Lankan badminton players anywhere. Achini told this writer the other day that she wished to see her playing at the 2012 Olympic Games. But then, these thoughts will be restricted to one’s dreams if someone doesn’t do the ground work or have a solid programme for the players. Achini’s father Ratnasiri said that he was eager to see whether the Sri Lanka Badminton Federation or the Ministry of Sports will come up with a solid programme to cater to the needs of teenage sensations in sport like her daughter.

There is good news about Achini. Her father says she will continue in the sport despite winning the national singles crown for the third consecutive year. What could be looked upon as bad news is that Achini, according to her father, might not remain for long in badminton after realizing her goals. There is nothing wrong in a sportswomen calling it quits early if her career is dotted with achievements. Most female badminton players, according to renowned coach Chinthaka Fernando, who also coached Achini at the 2009 Asian Juniors, believes it is accepted in the badminton scene that players start young and finish young, which, then enables them, especially women, to concentrate on other things in life.

According to Ratnasiri, his daughter has shown a lot of interest in pursuing her studies which are aimed at sitting for the advanced level examination for which her subjects will be Logic, media and Economics, the latter which she hopes to change to Political Science in the future.

Though Achini has shown a lot of promise in sport from the start, her parents believe badminton in Sri Lanka doesn’t offer the players a promising future. Ratnasiri believes recognition as a national sports star can encourage players, but one needs money to live and badminton doesn’t offer that security to players. Hence Achini doesn’t spend the whole day playing badminton and shares her time between going to the gymnasium, attending school and dabbling in a little tuition.

Achini was greatly influenced by her elder sister to take to badminton. She started playing at the age of eight years and her coach from the inception Shimal Aponsu has been with her to date. Achini also acknowledges the contributions made to her career by the coach at school, Danesh Malliyawadu and her fitness trainer Mothilal Jayatilake. The turning point in her career came when she together with Upuli Samanthika won the girls’ doubles event at the Asian Junior Championships in 2009, which Sri Lanka hosted. Since then, she has performed well alongside her partner (Upuli) in international events, winning the gold medal at the Iran Fajir International and the bronze medal at the Youth Commonwealth Games in Isle of Man, both these achievements coming this year.

Her achievements in badminton have helped her obtain sponsorships from David Peiris Motor Company and at present from McLarence. Says Ratnasiri, "These kids are young and they value a little appreciation for their achievements. When they are not appreciated, these kids can get a little depressed".

He says he has not put any restrictions on Achini’s life and allows her daughter to have the freedom other girls of her age enjoy. "The only issue is that her tight schedule in badminton and school doesn’t provide her with time for other things," he says. However, Achini has not grumbled about the tight schedule she follows as a 17-year-old girl and her father says, "Achini makes all the sacrifices willingly".

Achini is the leading figure in Sri Lanka badminton and the authorities scheduling her final against Thilini Hendahewa as the last event at the badminton nationals suggests she has the potential to entertain a gathering. Badminton, which was once dominated by males, is now dominated by women. It would not be contested if she is termed the ‘Queen of badminton in Sri Lanka’.

(www.island.lk)

Niluka in line for a triple crown

Niluka in line for a triple crown

The Karunaratne brothers Dinuka and Niluka will meet in the final of the men's singles final event at the 59th Badminton Nationals Championship conducted at the Royal College Sports Complex Badminton courts, at Stanley Wijesundera Mawatha, Colombo today.

Defending champion for over a decade, Niluka Karunarante has entered the final of all three events and is in line for the triple crown. In the first men's semi - final Dinuka Karunaratne beat Lasitha Menaka 21-16, 21-9 while his brother Niluka Karunaratne got the better of Nuwan Hettiarachchi 21-6, 21-9 in the second semi final.

The finals have been advanced to 1.00 pm and the Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage will be the chief guest.

[Results all semi finals ]

Men's singles semi finals: Dinuka Karunaratne beat Lasitha Menaka 21-16,21-9 Niluka Karunaratne beat Nuwan Hettiarachchi 21-6, 21-9.

Men's doubles semi finals: R.S.Dahanayake and Hasitha Chanaka beat Nuwan Hattiarachchi and Kasun 21-9,22-20 Niluka and Dinuka Karunaratne beat Uditha 21-10, 21-16.

Women's Singles: Achini Ratnasiri beat Kavidi Ishadika 21-16,21-15 Thilini Pramodhika beat Nadeesha Gayanthi 21-19, 21-8

Women's doubles semi finals: Achini Ratnasiri and Upuli Samanthika beat Lekha Shehani and Thilini Jayasinghe 21-14, 221-13.

Chadrika de Silva and Susmika beat punisha and Manishi 12-21,21-16.

Mixed doubles: Nuwan Hettiarachchi and Achini Ratnasiri beat Hasitha and Thilini Jayasinghe 21-18,21-8. Niluka Karunaratne and Kavidi beat Chandrika de Silva and Lasitha Menaka 21-15,21-14.

(www.sundayobserver.lk)