Ishara Perera who knew nothing about boxing until the age of 18 has redirected and resurrected the sport at Air Force as she won the prize for the most scientific boxer at the 96th National Boxing Championships that was worked off at the Royal MAS Arena.
A fisherman’s daughter from down south, Ishara inspired her women’s team at the Air Force to become the best women’s team at the Nationals surpassing other contendants from the Army.
Fighting in the featherweight under-57 kg category, Leading Aircraftwoman Ishara Perera outshined all her opponents and was in the ring after a near five-year absence that made her the mother of a three-year old daughter.
Ishara discovered her potential as a pugilist in 2014 when she joined apparel producer Unichela as a garment factory worker and the rest is now history.
“I remember boxing coach Rohan Dangalle was looking for girls who can box and I was encouraged by that. I was told I had height as an advantage from among the girls”, recalled Ishara.
In next to no time, Ishara was in the ring taking on fighters and looking a mere novice among the hardcore women. But to everyone’s surprise except that of her coach, Ishara won the gold medal at the Junior Nationals in the flyweight under-51 kg category and since that day, she never looked back.
She went on to savour success in the following year winning a silver medal in the Clifford Cup boxing meet, a show that is not for the faint-hearted.
It was then that Air Force grabbed her as their role model in 2016 and more laurels came her way when she was the Best Loser at the hardcore Defence Services meet as she bagged a silver medal only to be followed by more trophies for Best Boxer at the National Sports Festival, Clifford Cup, and the Nationals in addition to winning the Layton Cup.
“Becoming Best Boxer at the National Sports Festival inspired me to do the same at the Nationals and my dream came true”, said Ishara, unable to hide her justified feelings.
More than 150 men and women boxers were in the ring at the Nationals that was worked off last week representing some 20 entities, and the champion Air Force women won five gold medals in addition to a silver and a bronze ahead of Army and Police.
(themorningtelegraph.com)