Four teams to represent Sri Lanka at Junior Asian TT Championships in Doha, Qatar

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

Sri Lanka's Junior National Table Tennis Team left the country on Thursday evening to participate at the Junior Asian Table Tennis Championships 2013 which will be held at the Guru Sports Club Hall in Doha, Qatar from August 30th to September 3rd.

The Sri Lanka junior paddlers team will comprise four teams named Boys and Girls cadet teams and Junior girls and boys teams. The Cadet team will be under the age of 15.

The boys cadet team will be led by the Junior National Champion Udaya Ranasinghe of Vidyartha College who is one of the most promising table tennis players in the country carrying away a large haul of trophies at every tournament. This year he has performed much above expectations even by defeating past and present senior national champions.

Pawani Sirisena of Maliyadewa Girls College will captain the girls cadet team. Pawani Sirisena is a girl with exceptionally good talents and has represented the country at the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship and also the World Table Tennis Championships held in France earlier this year. This fifteen-year-old paddler holds much promise for the future and is one of the rising stars in the table tennis horizon.

Sri Lanka's Junior Girls team will be led by 16-year-old Umaya Tharaki of Dharmasoka College, Ambalngoda - a school in the forefront of table tennis in the country at present. A great fighter and though the Junior National Title has eluded her but she has come close to winning it many times.

Tilina Wijesiri of Vidyartha College will lead the Junior boys team. Another talented player Tilina Wijesiri is a fine player but titles has eluded him on many occasions as he has to fight it out with the enormously talented Udaya Ranasinghe of the same school. If not for this very strong opponent in the scene, Tilina Wijesiri would have grabbed many titles at both school and open championships.

Did someone say that if there are 12 Bradmans in a side, one will have to be the 12th man.

The team is accompanied by W.A. Buddhasiri as Manager cum coach while that veteran coach from the hills Chaminda Rodrigo who has produced many top paddlers will also go as a coach. Mrs. Chithra Jayasuriya will be the Lady Chairperson.

The President of the Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka and Deputy Minister of Construction and Engineering Services, Housing and common Amenities Lasantha Alagiyawanna said that the best possible team has been selected for this tour which will see some of the top nations from Asia participating. This will give our young paddlers the much needed exposure.

The tour party is: Tilina Wijesiri (Boys Junior team captain Vidyartha College), Udaya Ranasinghe (Vidyartha College - Cadet boys team captain), Umaya Thoraki (Dharmasoka College - Junior Girls team captain), Pawani Sirisena (Maliyadewa Girls College - Girls Cadet team captain), Sheshala Bandara (Mahamaya Girls College), Nuwantha Niroshan (Dharmasoka College), Ruwini Kannangara (Museaus College), Buddheepani Rajaguru (Maliyadewa Girls College), Prasad J de Silva (Vidyartha College), Krishan Wickremaratne (Vidyartha College).

Also included in the Junior Girls team is former Junior National champion Ruwani Kannangara who won this title two years ago as a 14-year old and is back in form to gain selection to the junior National team. Officials: Mrs. Chithra Jayasuriya (Lady Chaperone), W.A. Buddhasiri (Manager cum coach), and Chaminda Rodrigo (coach).