KARACHI, Dec 6: Sri Lanka ended the South Asian Yachting regatta by picking up double gold in Optimist over 12-year competition at Marina Club on Tuesday. In fact, Sri Lanka made clean sweep of medals in Optimist over-12 class with Davin Goonewardene taking the gold, Nadine de Rosiro silver and Ishan Abeysekera bronze.

Earlier, they had won the gold in Optimist team racing while Pakistan ‘A’ and ‘B’ got silver and bronze respectively.

Pakistan’s Talha Nadeem grabbed the Optimist gold in under-12 with Mustufa Ahmed getting the silver and Jasim Altaf bronze.

Pakistan ended with three gold, two silver and two bronze medals. Sri Lanka finished runners-up with two gold, a silver and two bronze medals. India secured third spot with two silver medals in tri-nation contest.

Meanwhile, Sindh Governor, Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad, said that Arabian Sea can be exploited for enhancing the standard of water sports in the country.

‘God has blessed us with a large sea coast and we can raise the sailing standard by utilizing it,’ he said while speaking as chief guest at the closing ceremony of the South Asian Yachting Regatta at National Sailing Centre on Tuesday.

He said the triangular event involving India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan will not only strengthen the cordial ties between these countries but will also benefit the sailors in raising their standard.

‘Its pleasure watching teenagers braving the wind and waves in close competition,’ he said.

The Governor said it was encouraging to see water sports getting popular and competitive in which Pakistani sailors had won glories in the past.—APP