Sri Lanka’s boxing team faced tough competition in the semifinals of the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) U-22 Boxing Championships at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo yesterday. Despite their brave efforts, the Sri Lankan boxers were unable to secure spots in the finals.

However, their performances ensured that they walked away with an impressive six bronze medals, concluding the day with a total of 11 bronze medals in the tournament.

Sri Lanka’s fighters gave their all, but the semifinal bouts proved challenging against opponents from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and other powerhouse nations in the sport.

Among the notable Sri Lankan boxers was Nethmi Perera, competing in the Women’s 48kg category. She faced a strong contender from Kazakhstan, Bolat Akbota, in the semifinals. Despite a solid effort, Perera was defeated with a narrow 4:3 score. Another Sri Lankan, Sachini Fernando, fought hard in the women’s 50kg division but fell to Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tran, with a 5:0 decision.

Despite these losses, the Sri Lankan team’s performance at the championship remains commendable, especially considering the high level of competition.

Today, will be a rest day for the fighters, offering them a chance to recharge before the tournament resumes tomorrow. The competition will continue until May 23. (SJ)