Sri Lankan veteran paddlers excel at New Zealand Masters Games
Four Sri Lankan veteran table tennis players, Dr. Nimal Lucas, Tamara Hewage, Gaveshan Weerakkody and Ama Suraweera kept the Sri Lankan flag flying high at the New Zealand Masters Games held in Wanganui from February 2 to 8, 2015 when they won a tally of 28 medals (13 Gold, 6 Silver, 9 Bronze).
Exhibiting a high standard of Table Tennis with nippy footwork and fine placement of smashes to the both flanks of the table these veteran Lankan peddlers showed that they had not lost the touch and won many rounds of applause from every participated nation.
In the Social players individual competition (an open event for players over 35 years), Tamara Hewage stole the limelight and won 3 gold medals in the Women’s Social Singles, Women’s Social Doubles (partnered by Ama Suraweera) and Mixed Social Doubles (partnered by Robert Thompson). Partnered by Dr. Nimal Lucas, Gaveshan Weerakkody won a silver medal in the Men’s Social Doubles and a bronze medal in the Men’s Social Singles. In the Social two person team event Weerakkody found things easy in winning a gold medal partnered by Derek Adamson.
Dr. Nimal Lucas the man who dominated Sri Lanka Table Tennis by winning the national championship in his days came out with flying colours to win a silver medal in the open mixed team events, Dr. Lucas partnered by Robert Dunn won a silver medal and a bronze medal in the over 55 two person category and in the over 45 two person category respectively along with a bronze medal (partnered by Jim Jarmin and Stewart Hickford) in the over 35 three person category.
In the Men’s Open Singles Dr. Nimal Lucas showed his class winning gold medals in the over 70 and over 65 categories whilst in the Women’s Open Singles Tamara Hewage exhibited her prowess and won gold medals in the over 55, over 45 and over 35 categories. In the Men’s Open Doubles Dr. Nimal Lucas, partnered by Robert Dunn, won a gold medal in the over 70 category and a silver medal in the over 65 category. In the Women’s Open Doubles Tamara Hewage won a gold medal in the over 35 category (partnered by Heather Paul) and bronze medals in the over 45 category (partnered by Jenny Brader) and in the over 55 category (partnered by Ama Suraweera). In the Mixed Open Doubles partnered by Russel Winkley Tamara Hewage won a gold medal in the over 55 category while Dr. Nimal Lucas won a silver medal in the over 70 category (partnered by Heather Paul). Ama Suraweera won a silver medal in the over 55 category (partnered by Chris Talbot) and Tamara Hewage combining with Dr. Nimal Lucas won a bronze medal in the over 35 category.