The 3rd FIBA Asia U16 Championship for women to take place in Colombo Sri Lanka from 23rd of November to 30th of November 2013.
Twelve teams from across Asia will be seen in actin at the imposing Sugathadhasa indoor stadium in their quest to emerge as the top young women’s teams in Asia. Players from china, Chinese Taipei, Japan and Korea will match wits with India and Malaysia in the level 1, the elite division of the competition. The top four teams will progress to the semi-finals. Hosts Sri Lanka will battle it out with Hong Kong , Thailand, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and Jordan in level 2 aiming to finish at the top two which will give them a chance to attempt to qualify for the next editions level 1.
Players like l, Yuki Miyazawa of Japan, Li Meng of China and Shireen of India all used the FIBA Asia championship for women platform to launch their international careers and have gone from strength. All these players were crucial in their teams at the recently concluded 25ty FIBA Asia championship for women at Bangkok Thailand.
In the words of the FIBA Asia president Sheikh Bin Al-thani:”each year we have new cities joining the list of venues of hosting FIBA Asia events. I am sure Colombo will take it’s deserved place in the list. This is the first ever FIBA Asia ever in Sri Lanka and I am sure this won’t be the last given the enthusiasm shown by the fans to leave no stone unturned to make the event a grand success.”
FIBA Asia Secretary General Havoc Khakirian remarks, “I do believe the players we witness at Colombo will succeed a great legacy and carry it forward taking the FIBA Asia flag to newer and greater heights. Basketball fans in Sri Lanka and Colombo can be proud that they were ones who provided this first ever international platform for these young followers to bloom”
Sarath Ekenayake, the president of SLBF says: ” only a couple of days ago, Sri Lanka showed to the world it’s organizational capabilities when hosting the 2013 CHOGM. We now look at taking this forward in the sphere of sport too orgazing Sri Lankas first ever intentional basketball event.”
