Women’s only table tennis on the cards
Helping them to break their shackles and to find equal footing in Table Tennis, an initiative has been taken to venture into a programme of guiding and grooming the sport exclusively for women, former national champion Lalith Priyantha announced, recently.
The first player to win the title for three years said along with the launch of this programme, he will also be organising a tournament targeting only ladies.
“I’m not thinking about the number of events or entries. Even with a handful of entries, we will be having a small tournament. In another year or two’s time, a tournament will be hosted,” he told reporters at Otters Aquatic Club, where the group classes will be held mostly.
While calling on women of the ages of 19 and above to join, Priyantha also disclosed there could be a second venue in Colombo.
The first captain to lead a national team for a European tour explained that unlike other sports, this sport, an indoor game, is not confined to any season and can be played throughout the year.
“Mainly, I was thinking because I started a programme last year, but there was no response from the targeted gender to join the programme. Later on, I was thinking whether some ladies wanted to come only had it was exclusively for ladies. It’s not clear whether are they permitted to attend classes, where it is a unisex participation,” saying based on these only the past national selector had decided to cover that gender.
“This will be a first of its kind for any sport in the country organising a programme covering only girls,” he declared.
He extended the invitation to the embassy population, foreigners and their spouses. Since it’s an indoor game, mostly injury free and even if one is slightly overage, he feels this game can still be played as it does not carry much disadvantage to it.
“Table tennis is a game maximum of 120 minutes only,” he urged, laying out on why women should consider.
However, though, for the time being, the programme would only be in Colombo and its suburbs. But depending on the interest and demand, he might expand into other provinces.
“For the time being, since it is all set for a one man show, I won’t get to travel to other provinces. But I welcome and invite all women,” he said in response to the Sunday Times query of whether this will be confined only to Colombo.
“There are many a woman, who have featured in the game during our time, but now must be because of lack of opportunities they don’t come out and play this game,” an ex-national team coach and captain said of the past, adding that he is now recreating that opportunity to revive the game for that gender.
He always executes things differently and it is entirely on that he will be catering to the said age group, the former national association president concluded.