Sports Minister Aluthgamage provides air tickets for Junior TT Players to India

by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen – Kandy Sports Corr.

Four junior national table tennis teams left the island to participate in the South Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships that are being held at Ghandhi Stadium, New Delhi, India from July 20th to 22nd.

The four teams will be of under 15 boys and girls and under 18 girls and will have a different captain for each category.

The participating players and officials were provided with air tickets by courtesy the Minister of Sports Mahindanada Aluthgamage on a request made by the President of the Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka and Deputy Minister of Engineering Construction Services, Housing and Public Utility Services Lasantha Alagiyewanna. The players are also provided with the official playing kits and playing equipment by courtesy National Savings Bank through its Assistant General Manager International Banking Ajith Peiris.

Deputy Minister and President of TTASL Lasantha Alagiyawanna said that the players selected are of the age groups under 15 and under 18 and this championship will give them the necessary experience and exposure and they could make use of this as a stepping stone for the future.

He thanked both the Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage and the National Savings Bank for coming forward to assist the young paddlers and without their support they may have run into problems in finding the funds. He was confident that these young paddlers will bring honour to the country.

Under 18 girls team

The u. 18 girls team is led by 16 year old Umaya Tharaki of Ambalangoda. A very promising paddler who has performed in the local tournaments often creating upsets. The other members of the team are former Junior National champion Ruvini Kannangara of Mueseus College another good fighter known for fighting qualities. Buddhipani Rajaguru (Maliyadewa Girls College, Kurunegala) and Chamathsara Fernando of Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo – another promising shutter who has put up some very impressive performances.

Under 18 boys team

The u. 18 boys team will be captained by Tilina Wijesiri of Vidyartha College – a top player but often found himself pitted against one of the best paddlers in the country in Udaya Ranasinghe. But on his day, he could be a threat to any opponent. The other members of the team are Krishan Wickremaratne (Vidyartha College), Ruwantha Niroshan (Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda) and Chinthaka Ekanayake (Vidyartha College).

Under 15 girls team

The u. 15 girls team will be led by Pavani Sirisena of Maliyadewa Girls College, Kurunegala. An enormously talented player who excelled at the recently concluded Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships and the World Table Tennis championships winning at least two matches against more experienced and stronger opponents. A player to watch in this team is Ridmi Karadanarachchi of Mahamaya Girls College, Kandy, a strong willed player who was distinctively unlucky not to have won the Senior National Championship this losing the finals in the last set to the Ultimate champion Ishara Madurangi. The other member of the team is Shashika Bandara (Mahamaya Girls College).

Under 15 boys team

Sri Lanka’s hopes of creating a lasting impression in this championship lies with the captain of the under 15 boys team Udaya Ranasinghe who is the current Junior National Champion for the past two years and ranked number one in both under 15 and under 18 singles. His performance is that he has beaten the Sri Lanka’s Number one and Senior National Champion, a creditable feat for a 15 year old from Vidyartha College.

He has been carrying almost all the championship titles at junior level often excelling in the senior championships as well. A player to watch in the future.

The other members of the team are his teammates from Vidyartha College Prasad J de Silva and Supun Warusawitharne of Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda.

It could be noted that majority of the players are from Vidyartha College, Kandy and Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda with two each from Mahamaya Girls College, Kandy and Maliyadewa Girls College, Kurunegala who have been dominating the schools table tennis scene as well as junior championships.

Officials: Accompanying the team as officials are D.M.G.G. Kumara (coach), Nuwan Sampath (Coach), Thusitha Kapugeekiyana (Manager) and Ms Tharsha Ranasinghe (Lady Chaperone).