Shuttlers and wrestler shows promise

Wednesday, 29 October 2025 04:24 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Kenneth Arugodda

Sri Lanka’s young shuttlers showed exceptional talent and fighting spirit at the Asian Youth Games (AYG) 2025 producing some of the country’s finest badminton performances in recent history. The quartet of Nethmi Rathnayake, Padumudu Randiligama, Sithuli Ranasinghe, and Keneth Aruggoda led the charge with remarkable victories in both singles and mixed doubles, bringing pride to the island nation.

In the Mixed Doubles Sri Lanka got off to a flying start when Nethmi Rathnayake and Padumudu Randiligama teamed up to record a convincing 2/0 win over, Qatars Alma’s Almoki and Noor Abel displaying excellent coordination and attacking flair. Their seamless teamwork and strong net play gave Sri Lanka early momentum in the tournament.

Meanwhile, Keneth Aruggoda and Sithuli Ranasinghe also performed admirably in their opening encounter, though their campaign came to a halt in the pre-quarterfinals against China’s Xing Zhibo and Chen Sihan, who prevailed 2/0. The Sri Lankan pair fought gallantly, but the Chinese duo’s speed and precision ultimately proved too strong.

Rathnayake and Randiligama too advanced to the pre quarter finals, to fall short against the experienced Indonesian combination of Raihan Pramono and Athresia Candani, who secured a straight-sets victory. Despite the loss, the Sri Lankan pair’s earlier dominance reflected their growing maturity and potential on the Asian stage.

In the singles event, the island’s young players made a strong impression. Sithuli Ranasinghe defeated the Maldives’ Aminath Farha 2/0, displaying confidence and sharp shot selection. However, her inspiring run ended in the pre-quarterfinals when she went down to Yin Yi Qing of China, one of the region’s top-ranked juniors.

Keneth Aruggoda was equally impressive, overcoming Faroozan Ahmed of the Maldives 2/0 with an aggressive all-court game. His consistency and composure stood out, signalling his potential to develop into one of Sri Lanka’s future badminton stars.

Padumudu Randiligama also made his mark, defeating Rathana Viraksak of Cambodia 2/0 in a confident display. Though his singles journey concluded in the early knockout rounds, his dual success in both singles and mixed doubles underlined his versatility and stamina.

Padumudu Randiligama

At the time of going to press Keneth Aruggoda was to take on Indonesian Maharishiel Gain in the pre quarters while Pamuditha Randiligama to take on Leo Jing Yu of China for a possible quarter final move.

Together, these performances marked a new chapter for Sri Lanka’s badminton, proving the nation’s youth can now challenge established Asian nations. Their technical growth and mental resilience stood out throughout the competition.

Meanwhile, in wrestling, Vinod Dilshan delivered a valiant effort in the 45 kg category, defeating John Malazarte of the Philippines 13/8 to reach the semifinals. However, his Bronze Medal hopes faded when he was overpowered by Adilet Mukanbetov of Kyrgyzstan and later fell just short against Mirjaiol Mukammilov of Uzbekistan.

Despite falling narrowly short of medals, Sri Lanka’s young shuttlers and wrestlers displayed heart, promise, and passion qualities that promise a bright future for the nation’s youth sports movement.