Four years after a horrific injury knocked her out of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Anusha Kodituwakku celebrated her second coming on April 1, when she left with the six-member boxing squad for the 2018 Gold Coast Games which commences today.
"It is almost a miracle," describes Ruwan Keragala, Finance Director at MAS Holdings, a company which is a staunch supporter of boxing and where Anusha works in the HR department.
"Four years ago, she and the boxing team were returning after a photo shoot taken before the Glasgow Commonwealth Games when the vehicle they were travelling in met with an accident. She broke her collarbone and fractured her knee, and her dreams of winning a first Commonwealth Games medal was over," Keragala relates.
But after a long layoff and rehabilitation, Anusha is back and in the ring. Sri Lanka’s top female pugilist has also lost three kilograms making her eligible to fight in the Light flyweight class (48 kg) and raising expectations that she might be able to punch her way to a medal. Her previous Flyweight category – 51 kg – apparently is more competitive due to a strong British and Indian presence.
"She was out for two years after the injury and had wanted to quit. But she changed her mind and has worked hard as she aims to win a medal for the country at the Commonwealth Games," revealed Keragala at a brief ceremony on Monday where MAS donated 180 T-shirts to TeamLanka at the Commonwealth Games.
Anusha, 38, and Dinidu Saparamadu, 24, carry Sri Lanka’s medal hopes in boxing at the Commonwealth Games. They are both employees at MAS Holdings, a company that backs sports– 10 of the Gold Coast Games contingent across five sports (boxing, badminton, rugby sevens, shooting and table tennis) are employed by the leading garment manufacturer.
"Saparamadu is a dark horse for a medal. He is an unpredictable boxer, very unorthodox and strong off both hands. Not many people (in the international arena) have seen him fight and he could be our wild card," predicts Keragala.
Saparamadu, who will box in the men’s Light welterweight (64 kg) class, has won a handful of medals, most recently in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The undefeated reigning national champion will be taking part for the first time at a multi-sports Games.
Anusha, a former Sri Lankan women’s rugby sevens player, first entered a ring at the canteen at MAS. She renewed her association with the canvas after her injury and has spent hours daily in a punishing regime including roadwork, punch bag, sparring and shadow-boxing. Last year she was crowned national champion in her weight category at the Royal MAS Boxing Arena.
On Friday, April 6, she will begin her campaign in the round-of-16, taking on her opponent in three three-minute rounds. Whether her second coming will be glorious remains to be seen, but all Sri Lanka will be in her corner.
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