Thilina Rajakaruna and Panchali Adhikari shuttled their way to emerge as Men’s and Women’s Open Singles Champions at the Puttalam District All-Island Open Badminton Championships 2025, which concluded at the Sir Albert F. Peiris Indoor Sports Complex in Wennappuwa recently.
Rajakaruna shocked top seed and firm favourite Aashinsa Herath to clinch the Men’s Singles title, while Adhikari outsmarted double crown Praveena Wijesundara in straight sets to pocket the Women’s Singles crown.
Herath made a solid start by recording an easy 21/13 win against Rajakaruna in the first set of the crucial final, but the spirited shuttler made a grand recovery to dominate the next two sets by 21/16 and 21/14, leaving no stones unturned on his way to clinch the Men’s Open Singles title.
Adhikari, on the other hand, had very little trouble against Wijesundara, who was comprehensively beaten in straight sets by 21/10 and 21/14 in the Women’s Open Singles final.
Earlier on, the pairing of Herath and Alan Kristanto had completed their mission to beat Dinuru Priyashantha and Siyath Senaratne by 2-1 to win the Men’s Open Doubles title.
Wijesundara had also laid the foundation for a possible double crown when she partnered with Anurangi Masakorala to beat Vinuthi Ranasinghe and Yenara Wickramasinghe in straight sets to claim the Women’s Open Doubles title.
Wijesundara then earned a double by claiming the Mixed Open Doubles title partnered with Achinthya Imesha, as they beat the pair of Thulith Palliyaguru and eventual Singles winner Adhikari in straight sets, despite being challenged heavily in the second set.
The Men’s Plate Singles title went to Duviyn Jayakody, who received a walkover from Samuditha Rathnayaka in the final.
Thidasa Irushika and Thisuri Gunawardena became the Boys’ and Girls’ Under 19 Singles champions, respectively, after earning contrast wins in their finals.
Irushika had to face a stiff challenge from Maneth Wijegunawardana, who made the Boys’ Singles final an exciting thriller, after losing the first set to Wijegunawardana by 22/20 following a close battle.
Irushika followed to make a solid recovery in the second set by 21/14 before facing an even tougher third set, which ended in favour of the eventual winner by 24/22.
Gunawardena faced a similar opponent in Wickramasinghe, but she was fully composed in her straight win to claim the Girls’ Singles title.
Janeesha de Silva and Thenul Ganewatta paired up to beat Nethil Thewmika and Wijegunawardana to win the Boys’ Under 19 Doubles title, while Vinuthi Ranasinghe and Wickramasinghe beat Methuli Nawaratne and Minusha Padma Bandara in straight sets to win the Girls’ Under 19 Doubles title.
Top seed Keneth Aruggoda claimed a double crown in the Under 17 age group, winning the Boys’ Singles as well as the Doubles title partnered with Dinew Wimalaratne, while Sithuli Ranasinghe won the Girl’s Singles title.
Aruggoda beat Wimalaratne 2-1 in the Boys’ Singles final, and the two finalists teamed up to beat Samiru Ranasinghe and Pamudu Randiligama in an absorbing Boys’ Doubles final.
Sithuli Ranasinghe made little effort to overcome Vishwanie Wanniarachchi in the Girls’ Singles final on her way to record a straight win.
Favourites Isuri Attanayake and Sithumi de Silva regained their lost touch as they regrouped to hand Chathumi Kavihara and Sanuki Thehasna a straight defeat to claim the Girls’ Doubles title.
Thamindu Fernando and Limandi Padma Bandara claimed double crowns in the Under 15 age category, winning both the Singles and Doubles titles.
Fernando recorded a comfortable 2-0 win against Yasiru Dinhas to claim the Boys’ Singles title, and later partnered with Senuda Rajapaksa to overcome Sihath Jenusara and Risinu Lakmitha in straight sets to claim the Boys’ Doubles title.
Limandi Padma Bandara coped with little trouble against Saheli Kalutharaarachchi to record a straight win on her way to claim the Girls’ Singles title, as she paired up with Sayuni Kulasuriya against Miyesi Nethara and Nisheli Samararatne to win the Girls’ Doubles title 2-0.
Organised by the Puttalam District Badminton Association (PDBA), the seven-day championship attracted over 675 shuttlers who competed under different categories.