18 year old Nethmi Ahinsa Fernando of Walpella Sangarathana Maha Vidyalaya, Kurunegala became Sri Lanka’s youngest ever Commonwealth Games medalist when she won the Bronze in the Women’s 57kg Freestyle Wrestling.
With all the determination mustered up her, she pinned her taller opponent Irene Symeonidis of Australia to a 10-00 win. She was coached by Suranga Kumara and even trained in Hungary before the Games.
It should be noted that her first match was against Silver medalist Anshu Malik of India. Nethmi faced off her opponent who advanced from the Repechage. This was one of the two Bronze medal matches according to the format of the sport. Other sports like Judo and Taekwondo give two Bronze medals.
The other wrestlers are to take the mats today. Two of them are Nethmi’s schoolmates and are coached by Kumara. Yesterday, Chamodi Weraduwage lost her first match and Suresh Fernando lost his quarter final fight.
Sri Lanka now have 4 medals in this year’s Commonwealth Games, with 1 Silver and 3 Bronze medals. The team is placed 26th in the overall medal table
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