Hail Sri Lanka’s Golden Boxing Boy

Sri Lanka’s spirited Manju Wanniarachchi yesterday created history by becoming the first boxing medalist for Sri Lanka in 60 years and the first gold winner in 72 years when he knocked Sean McGoldrick of Wales in the final of Bantam Weight (56kg) in the Commonwealth Games New Delhi.Here Manju with tears of joy and Sri Lankan flag wrapped around him after the victory is being cheered by his coach Dian Gomes who is also a business leader of MAS Holdings fame. Prior to the final showdown he beat Tirafalo Seoko of Botswana in the semifinals and Nicholas Okoth of Kenya in the quarterfinals. President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday telephoned Manju and congratulated him on his achievement, which brought honour and glory to the country. Director General of Government Information, Professor Ariyarathna Athugala said that the President also dispatched a written congratulatory message through the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi.  Pic by AFP