Absorbing fare at Unranked TT
View(s):Jaffna table tennis fans witnessed two days of absorbing table tennis at the Jaffna Central College tables when Kandy Municipal Council clinched the State Services Table Tennis championship with 30 points closely followed by Colombo Municipal Council with 26 points. In the other tournament staged at the same venue – The All Island Unranked TT Championship a high standard of table tennis was displayed by the up and coming paddlers who participated from all corners of the island.
Malika Perera stole the show
Organised and conducted by the Sri Lanka Table Tennis Association and the Asian/German Sports Exchange Programme the player who stole the limelight was Colombo Municipality’s Malika Madushani Perera. Malika proved her prowess by winning three titles at the championship becoming the only player to win the Triple Crown.
These lass from the capital city exhibited a high quality of table tennis which brought rounds of applause from the spectators by winning the Open Women’s Singles title. Secondly she emerged champion at the Women’s 25-30 age group singles event and in the Open Mixed Doubles finals Madushani partnered by Chandana Perera trounced V.S. Balasubramaniam/S. Maithilee combination from Education Department.
As the Colombo Municipal Council making great efforts in encouraging under privileged youth to take up to sports activities through Community Centres which come under the Playground and Recreation Department. The community centres are making the youths to get involved in sports like soccer, table tennis, weight lifting and in social events with an aim of opening doors for them to be good sporting citizens.
This effort was evident in Jaffna at the All Island Unranked Table Tennis championship when a set of boys from the Thimbirigasyaya Community Centre representing the Playgrounds Table Tennis League winning the Boys Under-8, 12 and 21 events with pride.
Ushan Weerasinghe showing glimpse of a bright future that lay ahead him in TT exhibited his talents by winning the Boys Under-8 Singles title. Bomira Weerasinghe is another youngster came out with flying colours to emerge champion in the Boys under 12 event giving the selectors and officials present in Jaffna to think on whose shoulders the future of Sri Lanka TT rests.
C. Indrajith was the cynosure at the championship. This lad with immense potential displayed a high quality TT giving no chance for the opponent to settle with powerful smashes to both flanks of the table and was solid in defence. With proper coaching and guidance these youngsters are sure to keep the national flag fly high in the years to come.