The Ratmalana Air Force Squash Complex came alive once again as the finest school squash talents on the island were in the fray for glory at the Sri Lanka Squash (SLS) Junior Open Championship, which was organised by Sri Lanka Squash as a national youth ranking squash tournament.
The gala school event gathered over 300 school players, and they competed in six age groups (U9, U11, U13, U15, U17 and U19) across boys’ and girls’ segments. The organisers deployed a round robin format instead of a knockout system by aiming to provide youth players with more opportunities to play by uplifting their exposure to the game and to build their experience.
>>Shariff and Ranliya emerge as Yeti Open Squash Champions<<
In the spotlight event of the boys’ under-19 finals, Matheesha Wijesekara of Royal College clashed against Rilwan Mohomad of St Joseph’s College. Matheesha, who is in fine rhythm after clinching the Ritzbury 36th Junior National Squash Championship a few months ago, posted a fine straight-set victory over the Josephian to add another trophy to his cabinet.
There was an enchanting U19 women’s final when Nethmi Wickramasinghe from Ladies College confronted Ifra Shasmin Booso from St Paul’s Girls’ School, Milagiriya. Former under-17 national champion, Booso, gave a fight to watch against the fancied under-19 champion who won her title at the Ritzbury 36th Junior National Squash Championship 2025 a few months ago. Hence the game dragged on for the fifth set, with both players winning two each. During the crucial fifth and final set, Nethmi got the better of Booso by clinching another national age group title.
>>Group Captain Eranda Geeganage elected as Sri lanka Squash Chair<<
In the under 17 finals, Manuth Sandira Dassanayake from Gateway College and Thedara Liyanage from Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya showcased a commanding performance to clinch the U17 Boy’s and U17 Girl’s titles. Rising school talents, Ranuka Pilapitiya of Royal College, Colombo, and Methuki Samaranayake of Devi Balika Vidyalaya were the losers in the final and awarded the runners-up titles.
During the under-15 finals, Sithumli Ruhansa Mendis from Gateway College and Akayne Konara from S. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia, displayed a spirited performance and clinched the titles by overcoming Chanumi Nimthara Thebuwana of Gateway College and Disas Subasinghe from D. S. Senanayake College, Colombo, respectively.
Haashid Ameer Noordeen of Louvre College, Pannipitiya, clinched the under-13 boy’s title by defeating Danuja Sethsara Jayasinghe from Ananda Shashthralaya, Kotte. Meanwhile, Nethanya Wickramasinghe of Ladies’ College defeated Livini Jayawardene of Visakha Vidyalaya in the girl’s final of the same age group.
In the under-11 finals, Kenula Hirusara of D. S. Senanayake College and Thinalee Daswatte of Sirimavo Bandaranayake Vidayalaya, Colombo, emerged as the champions. Further, Lunasha Yathindra Mudalige of Mahanama College and Sayuri De Silva of Ladies’ College, Colombo, won the under-11 runners-up titles, respectively.
>>Methmal Wood and Chanithma Sinaly clinch SSC squash titles<<
In the smallest age group of under 9, Sasruka Gamage from D S Senayake College beat his schoolmate Mohommad Shoaib Dean to clinch the boy’s title. Meanwhile, Sanuli Yahasna Godagampala of Sumedha College bagged the girl’s under-9 title by comprehensively beating Swayree De Silva of Ladies’ College, Colombo.
Citizens Development Business Finance (CDB) sponsored the tournament for the first time, with the aim of uplifting the less focussed game of squash by providing more opportunities to the school and youth players.
U19 Winners – Matheesha Wijesekara and Nethmi Wickramasinghe
Boys’ Under 19
WINNER: Matheesha Wijesekara Royal College
RUNNER UP: Mohamed Rilwan St Joseph’s College, Maradana
3rd Place: Tharul Pinwatta Royal College
4th Place: Sheron Prathap Royal College
5th Place: Kavindu weerakkody St. Sylvester’s College
6th Place: A Sandew D.S. Senanayake College
7th Place: S Peshawn morash St. Sylvester’s College
8th Place: Danithu jayasinghe Ananda Sasthralaya, Kotte
Girls’ Under 19
WINNER: Nethmi Wickramasinghe Ladies’ College
RUNNER UP: Ifra Shasmin Booso St. Paul’s Girl’s School Milagiriya
3rd Place: Dinuli Dimandi Alahapperuma Visakha Vidyalaya
4th Place: Sevindhi Dassenaieke Visakha Vidyalaya
Boys’ Under 17
WINNER: Manuth Sandira Dassanayake Gateway College
RUNNER UP: Ranuka Pilapitiya Royal College
3rd Place: D.Thesath Kemitha Hapuarachchi Royal College
4th Place: K Linuka Silva D.S. Senanayake College
5th Place: Nevan Rubasinghe Royal College
6th Place: Sandanu Gunarathne D.S Senanayake College
7th Place: AD Sasen Amarasinghe Royal College
8th Place: SHGW Neelawathura St. Sylvester’s College
Girls’ Under 17
WINNER: Thedra Liyanage Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya
RUNNER UP: Methuki Bimansa Samaranayake Devi Balika Vidyalaya
3rd Place: Isali siribaddana Musaeus College
4th Place: Nuara Perera Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya
5th Place: Senuji jayarathne Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya
6th Place: Dinadi Thilakarathne Stafford international school
7th Place: Danielle Karunarathne
Boys’ Under 15
WINNER: KM Akayne Konara S. Thomas’ College, Mt Lavinia
RUNNER UP: Disas Subasinghe D.S Senanayake College
3rd Place: Harshitha karunathilaka Mahanama College
4th Place: Thisandu Gunasekara Ananda College
5th Place: Ananthavel Kishean Royal College
6th Place: Himanshu Silva St. Joseph’s College
7th Place: Jehantha Perera Gateway College
Girls’ Under 15
WINNER: Sithumli Ruhansa Mendis Gateway College
RUNNER UP: Chanumi Nimthara Thebuwena Gateway College
3rd Place: HM Methuki Nulara Herath Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya
4th Place: V.S Dinithma Mihely Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya
5th Place: Navya Ganegoda Ladies’ College
6th Place: Thinaya Thilakarathne Musaeus College
7th Place: Taveesha Goonasekera Ladies’ College
8th Place: Rowena Jayasekara Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya
Boys’ Under 13
WINNER: Haashid Ameer Noordeen Louvre College
RUNNER UP: Danuja Sethsara Jayasinghe Ananda Sasthralaya, Kotte
3rd Place: Hirun Samarathunga Ananda College
4th Place: Lithula Adithya Soysa Royal College
5th Place: Kenol Wickrama Sumedha College, Gampaha
6th Place: Ranuk Mendis Gateway College
7th Place: Mindiv Wanniarachchi D.S Senanayake College
8th Place: Mohamed Sudaiq Shiraz The British School, Colombo
Girls’ Under 13
WINNER: Nethanya Wickramasinghe Ladies’ College
RUNNER UP: Livini Jayawardane Visakha Vidyalaya
3rd Place: UK Dheerya Mithali Silva Visakha Vidyalaya
4th Place: GWP Natharie Kehansa Gunathilaka Visakha Vidyalaya
5th Place: Sheraya Perera Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya
6th Place: Sehasa Rajeewa Musaeus College
7th Place: Kayla Samarasinghe Ladies’ College
8th Place: Thanushri Jayamaha Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya
Boys’ Under 11
WINNER: WP Kenula Hirusara D.S Senanayake College
RUNNER UP: Lunasha Yathindra Mudalige Mahanama College
3rd Place: H.W Dasidu Yugeeth Githmal Mahanama College
4th Place: Sasen Dulneth Hettihewa Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya
5th Place: S Shevon Praveen Royal College
6th Place: Inura Jayaweera D.S Senanayake College
7th Place: Yumeth Attanayake Royal College
8th Place: D Hirun Gunasekara St. Peters College
Girls’ Under 11
WINNER: Thinalee Daswatte Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya
RUNNER UP: Sayuri De Silva Ladies’ College
3rd Place: ADP Bhagya Harshani Chandrarathna Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya
4th Place: Dinara Damsiluni Amarasinghe Visakha Vidyalaya
5th Place: Siyathi Gunathilaka Visakha Vidyalaya
6th Place: MK Pamudi Kathyana Munaweera Ladies’ College
7th Place: Sanuki Liyanahetti Visakha Vidyalaya
8th Place: Linara Vithanage Sumedha College, Gampaha
Boys’ Under 9
WINNER: MGCS Sasruka Gamage DS Senanayake College
RUNNER UP: M Shoaib Dean DS Senanayake College
3rd Place: Pranam Akshana Abeysinghe Royal College
4th Place: GG Lithula Dahampath Ranthilu Sumedha College, Gampaha
5th Place: Abinu Lewangama The British School, Colombo
6th Place: Sanush Abeysekara Royal College
7th Place: Aaron Jamion St. Joseph’s College
8th Place: Mandinu Dela Royal College
Girls’ Under 9
WINNER: Sanuli Yahasna Godagampala Sumedha College, Gampaha
RUNNER UP: Svayree De Silva Ladies’ College
3rd Place: Y Perera Visakha Vidyalaya
4th Place: I Janu Nuthara Dassanayake Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya
5th Place: RA Jenishi Linaya Ranasinghe Visakha Vidyalaya
6th Place: Mineli Nesakya Thilakaratne Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya
7th Place: Aariyah Suwaris Ladies’ College
8th Place: WA Senuki Seyansa Karunasena Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya
 Junior Open Championship, which was organised by Sri Lanka Squash as a national youth ranking squash tournament.){kind=link}