Ruwini and Suranga come ‘bullseye’ with perfect scores

At the NSSF National Championship held at the Naval Range in Welisara in November, top shooters Ruwini Abeymanne and Suranga Fernando earned the main attraction. Incidentally both represented Cambrian Shooting Club as Abeymanne went on to win the Women Air Pistol and Sports Pistol events.

Fernando, one of the favourite shooters of the Cambrians SC, had to be satisfied with the solitary win of the Free Pistol event, but he was well beaten in the Standard Pistol and Air Pistol events. The Standard Pistol event was won by Gamini Walgama while Niranjan Dissanayaka won the Air Pistol event, both of Sri Lanka Police.

In the Shot Gun events, shooters from Negombo Rifle Club (NRC), Colombo Clay Target Shooting Club (CCTSC) and both men and women from Air Force SC took the major share of accolades. Airman Sandakelum Ranasinghe claimed the Skeet title while Mohan Gilbert of NRC Trap championship while Tharushi Mekala of Air Force claimed the win of the Women’s championship in Skeet.The Mixed event for Air Rifle and Air Pistol was conducted for the first time and Abeymanne and Fernando emerged champions. Notably the pairing of Akila Vithanage of Royal College and Natasha Handelage of St. Bridget’s Convent was placed second ahead of the much fancied and experienced shooters. The Mixed Air Rifle event was won by Chanidu Senanayake of Maliyadeva College and Amanda Amerasinghe of Devi Balika Vidyalaya.

In the Junior/Youth segment Akila Sithumina Vidanage of Royal College went on to win the Air Pistol event. Akila is a member of the National Youth Shooting pool and another of its members, Natasha Handelage of St. Bridget’s Convent, won the Girls’ Air Pistol event.

Chanidu Senanayake of Athugala Sports Shooting Club, from Maliyadeva College, claimed the Air Rifle event in the Junior/Youth Boy’s segment. Amanda Amerasinghe won its Girls’ event. Both are members of the Sri Lanka Youth pool.

The NSSF revealed that is will commence the 2018 season with the Open Trap Championship scheduled to be held at the National Shotgun Range in Payagala from February 2 to 4.

National Championship 2017 Awards  

•  50M Free Pistol – Men: 1. Suranga Fernando
• (Cambrian SC), 2. Gamini Walgama (Police), 3. Sagara Wimaladharma (NRC)
•  25M Standard Pistol – Men: 1. Gamini Walgama (Police), 2. Suranaga Fernando (Cambrian SC), 3. Sagara Wimaladharma (NRC)
•  25M Sport Pistol – Women: 1. Ruwini Abaymanna (Cambrian SC), 2. E.M. Pabawathi (Police), 3. D.H. Dammika (Police)
•  10M Air Rifle – Men: 1. Chanidu Senanayake (Athugala SSC), 2. Vidura Pieris (Schools), 3. Shashika Perera (Schools)
•  10M Air Rifle – Women: 1. W.A.Y.C. Darmadasa (Schools), 2. Amandika Amarasinghe (Schools), 3. Vishmi Amanda (Schools)
•  10M Air Rifle – Men/Youth: 1. Chanidu Senanayake (Athugala SSC), 2. Vidura Pieris (Schools), 3. Anish Dumbukola (Magnum SSC)
•  10M Air Rifle Men/Junior:1. Chanidu Senanayake (Athugala SSC), 2. Vidura Pieris (Schools), 3. Anish Dumbukola (Magnum SSC)
•  10M Air Rifle Women/Youth: 1. Amandika Amarasinghe (Schools), 2. Krishneetta Vasudevan (Magnum SSC), 3. W.A.Y.C. Dharmadasa (Schools)
•  10M Air Rifle Women/Junior: 1. Amandika Amarasinghe (Schools), 2. Krishneetta Vasudevan (Magnum SSC), 3. W.A.Y.C. Dharmadasa (Schools)
•  10M Air Pistol – Men: 1. N. Disanayaka (Police), 2. H.M.S.N.K. Herath (Police), 3. Suranga Fernando (Cambrian SC)
•  10M Air Pistol – Women: 1. Ruwini Abayamanna (Cambrian SC), 2. E.M. Pabawathi (Police), 3. A.K.H. Dinusha (Police)
•  10M Air Pistol Men/Youth: 1. Akila Sithumina (Schools), 2. C.S.B. Wijerathna (Schools), 3. M.S.V. Rajapaksa (Schools)
•  10M Air Pistol Men/Junior: 1. Akila Sithumina (Schools), 2. C.S.B. Wijerathna (Schools), 3. M.S.V. Rajapaksa (Schools)
•  10M Air Pistol Women/Youth: 1. Nathasha Hendalage (Schools), 2. Maheesha Jayasundara (Schools), 3. Vimoshi Weerasinghe (Schools)
•  10M Air Pistol Women/Junior: 1. Nathasha Hendalage (Schools), 2. Maheesha Jayasundara (Schools), 3. Vimoshi Weerasinghe (Schools)
•  10 m Air Rifle Mix – Open: 1. Chanidu Senananyake/Amandika Amarasinghe (Schools), 2. Vidura Peiris/Krishnitha Vasudevan (Schools), 3. Lahiru Dinesh/Nileka de Silva (Schools)
•  10M Air Pistol Mix – Open: 1. Suranga Fernanado/Ruwini Abayamanna (Cambrian SC), Akila Widanage/Nathasha Hendalage (Schools), 3. Hasini Dinusha/Neranjan Dissanayake (Police)
•  Trap – Master: 1. Jan Samaranayake (NRC), 2. Mudunkoth Diulwewa (Police), 3. Dallas Martenstyn (NRC)
•  Trap Individual – Female: 1. Tharushi Mekala (SLAF), 2. Deepani Mudunkoth (SLAF), 3. Shiroma Priyadarshani (SLAF)
•  Trap Open Individual: 1. Mohan Gilbert (NRC), 2. Sean Silva (NRC), 3. Jeremy Fernando (NRC)
•  Trap Team: 1. Negombo Rifle Club ‘B’ (Shiyam Dias, Kaushan Samaranayake, Jan Samaranayake), 2. Negombo Rifle Club XXX (Sean Silva, Dallas Martenstyn, Mohan Gilbert), 3. Police ‘A’ (Susil Senewirathna, Upul Rathnayake, Rathnayaka Wimalarathna)
•  Skeet – Female: 1. Tharushi Mekala (SLAF), 2. Shiroma Priyadarshani (SLAF), Deepani Mudunkoth (SLAF)
•  Skeet – Open: 1. Sandakelum Ranasinghe (SLAF), 2. Shirantha Peiris (CTSC), 3. Shankar Dharmarathne (CTSC)
•  Skeet – Team: 1. Colombo Clay Target SC ‘A’ (Shankar Dharmarathne, Shirantha Peiris, Sajeev de Silva), 2. Air Force ‘A’ (Manoj Wijewickrama, Nishantha Wijekoon, Sandakelum Ranasinghe), 3. Police SC ‘A’ (Madukande Diulwewa, Upul Rathnayake, Rathnayaka Wimalarathna)