The Hockey Championship of the 49th National Sports Festival concluded recently at the Sri Lanka Hockey Federation Astro Turf, Reid Avenue, Colombo 07. There were nine provincial teams in the fray for glory in the two-day tournament. After a dominating performance in both the men’s and women’s segments, Central Province took home the gold medals.
Men’s Championship
After an eventful preliminary round, the teams from Western, North Western, Central, and Southern Provinces booked their places in the semifinals. In the first semifinal, Western Province outperformed the Southern lads with a dominating 3–0 victory. The other semifinal looked almost like a final, with two formidable lineups showcasing a highly technical game. In the end, Central Province managed to edge out the lads from Wayamba to seal their place in the prestigious final.
In the men’s final, two field hockey powerhouses in Sri Lanka—Central and Western Provinces—clashed for the glory of the gold medal. Central came out firing, scoring within the first three minutes. Just a couple of minutes later, they struck again from a penalty corner. Three minutes after that, a long-range pass from the defenders found the strikers, and with the Western Province defence nowhere in sight, Central scored their third goal within the first quarter. Although Western Province failed to score in the second quarter, they managed to put a stop to Central’s early goal spree.
In the third quarter, Central once again showed their grit, adding another goal and putting the game well beyond the reach of their opponents. In the final quarter, a Western Province defender was penalised for blocking a sure scoring opportunity with his leg. Central sealed their emphatic win by converting the penalty shot, ultimately emerging as the champions of the Field Hockey Tournament at the National Sports Festival 2025.
In the bronze medal game, North Western Province clashed with Southern Province. The formidable Wayamba side had a few early chances but failed to capitalise. In the second quarter, the Southern lads broke the deadlock when a brilliant pass was smashed into the net by their striker. Early in the final quarter, Southern extended their lead from a penalty corner. Instead of taking a direct shot, they worked the ball around, deceived the defence, and found a gap to score their second goal.
In the dying stages, North Western earned a penalty and converted it, giving their supporters a glimmer of hope. However, Southern held their nerve to defend their lead, edging out Wayamba 2–1 to claim the bronze medal.
Women’s Championship
In the women’s matches, the same teams from Western, North Western, Central, and Southern Provinces advanced to the semifinals after clinical displays in the preliminary round. In the first semifinal, Western Province thrashed North Western 7–0. In the other semifinal, the experienced Central side overcame Southern with a 2–0 victory.
In the women’s bronze medal game, North Western and Southern faced off after their disappointing semifinal exits. Southern took the lead with a long-range pass to a striker in the scoring circle, who finished the move beautifully. In the final quarter, the Wayamba lasses found the equaliser they had been waiting for, scoring off a rebound from the goalkeeper after a penalty corner. With the score tied 1–1 at full time, the match went to penalty shootouts, where Southern prevailed 3–1 to take the bronze medal.
In the women’s final, two powerhouses—Central and Western Provinces—went head-to-head. Central opened the scoring when their striker magnificently deflected a long-range shot into the net. In the second quarter, they attacked down the left flank, brought the ball into the scoring circle, and, after a series of quick passes, netted their second goal to pile pressure on Western. With no further goals scored, Central Province clinched the gold with a commanding 2–0 victory over Western Province.
At the end of the day, D.E.G. Vikum Chathuranga Karanarathne and M. Shehani Fernando from Central Province emerged as the best players in the men’s and women’s segments, respectively.
