COLOMBO, Mar 17 (ePRESS) – Sri Lanka’s veteran boxing legends, including the country’s oldest living Olympian DIG (Retd.) Sumith Liyanage, will be honoured at a special felicitation ceremony organised by the Ceylon Boxing Federation (CBF) in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the sport over several decades.
The ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 21, at Arawwala in Pannipitiya from 5.30 p.m., bringing together leading figures of Sri Lanka’s boxing fraternity to celebrate the legacy of the country’s most respected pugilists.
The event will be graced by Her Excellency Patricia Lazara Pego Guerra, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Sri Lanka, as the Chief Guest. Cuba is globally recognised for its rich boxing tradition, and her presence adds special significance to the occasion.
Joining the ceremony as Guest of Honour will be Vinod Kalarickal Sukumaran, the World Boxing Council (WBC) CARE Middleweight Champion and WBC CARE Ambassador for Australia and Dubai, who has been actively promoting boxing at the international level.
Former Sri Lanka Army Commander General Jagath Jayasuriya (Retd.) is also expected to attend the event as a distinguished guest.
Among the prominent personalities to be honoured is DIG (Retd.) Sumith Liyanage, who proudly represented Sri Lanka at the 1960 Rome Olympic Games in boxing. His achievement remains one of the proud moments in Sri Lanka’s boxing history.
The federation will also felicitate former national boxer L. V. Douglas for his long-standing dedication and service to the sport. Another respected figure, T. J. Ismail, widely regarded as one of the finest boxers produced by Sri Lanka, will also be honoured for his remarkable achievements and influence in the development of boxing in the country.
During the ceremony, the Ceylon Boxing Federation will also award Honorary Memberships to several veteran boxing personalities in appreciation of their lifelong service to the growth and promotion of boxing in Sri Lanka.
A special posthumous award will also be presented in memory of former Royal College boxer and veteran sports journalist Allaam Ousman, recognising his valuable contribution to the promotion of boxing and sports journalism in Sri Lanka.
