By Revatha Silva Photo Pradeep Dambarage A boy from Pallebowala Maha Vidyala, in the far off Hanguranketha of the Nuwara Eliya District, won the 14-15 years 36-38 kgs boys silver medal at the Muay Thai Youth World Championship, named ‘IFMA Youth World Muaythai 2018’, held in Bangkok, Thailand early August. H. G. Kasun Kaushalya Gunawardhana, 15, the second son of a brick mason from Kosgahadebala, about 180 kms east of Colombo in the Hanguranketha Pradeshiya Sabha of the Nuwara Eliya District, has been given a rousing welcome by his villagers upon his return there, with his school’s boxing and muaythai coach Jamitha Gayan Bandara, who has introduced Kasun to the sport in 2014. Muay Thai or Thai boxing is a combat sport originated in Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques with the combined use of fists, elbows, knees and shins. The International Federation of Muaythai Amateur, or IFMA, is the governing body of amateur Muay Thai. It presently consists of 130 member countries. Muay Thai is officially recognised by the Global Association of International Sports Federations better known as Sport Accord, the Olympic Council of Asia and the World Ante-Doping Agency or WADA. Meanwhile Mevanya Peiris, also representing Sri Lanka in the girls’ 10-11 years 36 kgs category, won the bronze medal at the same championship. She is a student of Gateway International School, Rajagiriya. Mevanya is a student of Asoka Jayarathna who is the founder President of the Muaythai Association of Sri Lanka which has been recognised by the Ministry of Sports as the 63^rd official sports discipline in the country. The above picture shows Kasun Gunawardhana (on left) and Mevanya Peiris.