TT will hit the top - Rajeeva

by Leslie Fernando

TABLE TENNIS: "The game of table tennis will hit the top in a couple of years as there is a good future for the game in Sri Lanka. The standard of our junior players is very high," said Rajeeva Wijetunge the newly elected President of the Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka (TTASL). The new president spelt out the table tennis programme and the year plan in an interview with the Sunday Observer.

The TTASL has drawn up a wide program to raise the standard of coaching, playing, and umpiring upto 2009. It is a long term plan for the development and uplift of the game of table tennis.

"We have appointed committees for coaching and development, sponsorship, pools and umpiring associations," added Wijetunge. Rajeeva Wijetunge, former Royal cricketer, table tennis player and athlete has represented the country at 2002 Masters Table Tennis and in 2004 at Masters Athletics. He was the vice president Masters Table Tennis Association and was a national selector of TTASL from 2002 to June 2007. He is employed at Ceylinco Shriram. The TTASL chief said that they have a dynamic and professional team to put the game on the correct path. They will be very fair on all important matters.

Rajeeva said that our performances at the last South Asian Games was creditable, winning silver in both the men's and women's tournaments. "We went down fighting to India who were the commonwealth Games table tennis champions.

The TTASL hopes to provide all facilities to our junior players but requires funds is carry the game forward. TTASL will look for sponsors to find necessary finances, without finance no sport can go forward." Wijetunge said.

Rajeeva said that the future of table tennis, like other sports, belong to the schools.

The schools are the pioneering and breeding ground for the national table tennis players of tomorrow.

The TTASL will draw up a comprehensive program to improve the standard of table tennis by way of creating interest amongst the players in the schools in each province.

The TTASL will conduct district school competitions from ages 12 to 17 years.

A permanent junior pool will also, be formed to serve as a nursery with practice sessions during the weekends under watchful eyes of trained coaches.

Our junior players will have exchange programmes with Maldives at the end of 2007." Wijetunge added. The school coaches will be offered an opportunity to undergo coaching courses in Colombo conducted by the World Controlling for Table Tennis. The TTASL will shortly appoint a national coach. Sri Lanka also hope to get the services of Jagath Rajapakse (presently in France) who did a fine job in coaching our players during the South Games held in Colombo last year.

Rajeeva said that the TTASL has decided to hold ten tournaments in addition to the main Junior and Senior Nationals.

Two of Lanka's top paddlers Thilina Piyadasa is in USA and he will continue training. Meanwhile young Tharindu Samaraweera is in Europe for advance training.

The other three players played at the last SAGames - Gihan Liyanage, Indika Prasad and Rohan Siriwardena are undergoing training with their respective coaches.

Special attention would be focused on the Asian Championships to be held in China in October.

The TTASL will select both the men's and women's players on their current form and they will train under national coach starting second week in August.