Kalpani: Winner all the way

You name it and she has done it. Starting the winning habit at a remarkably young and tender age, the girl in question dominated the sport-over the next seven years or so, until she decided to move on and pursue her academic career which has been put on hold.

The youthful queen of local Table Tennis Kalpani Herath has left the country to pursue higher studies in Singapore. Her devotion to the game that brought her so many honours has been such that it can be safely said that she will continue to play, and do well, in Singapore.

Becoming the youngest national champion at 13 years and 6 months at the 54th Nationals held in 2001, went on to win the national crown on two more occasions. Deepika Rodrigo, with whom she had many memorable encounters, was beaten by Kalpani 21/13, 21/12,17/21, 21/16 for her first national title. Dilini Madawala was the victim next time out at the nationals, succumbing 4/11, 6/11, 11/8, 9/11, 12/14.

Deepika got her revenge in 2003, defeating the twice-crowned champion by four sets to three in 2003. Non participation at the 2004 nationals followed, and the next year she was inexplicably beaten in the pre quarter finals by the relatively unfancied Pradeepa Dilrukshi.

Kalpani put the record straight, beating Deepika once more in the 2006 final. Last year she lost her semi-final to the eventual winner Srimali Wimalaratne.

The ex High School girl has, at some time, won almost every tournament that matters. The Ashok Melvani Memorial tournament (2004-2006) saw her at the peak of her powers. Twice a runner-up at the Chrys Gunaratne Memorial championships, she made amends by winning the Under 19 and Under 17 events. The women’s and Under 19 titles came Kalpani's way at the inaugural Mercantile TT Championships (2005). The All-Island Inter School TT titles have been more grist to her mill.

Her success has not been confined to the Singles event, as she won the National Doubles title too in 2005. Her foreign travels started in 2000 when she attended an International TT training camp in Lahore. 2003 saw her at the Asian Championships in Bangkok and the South Asian Juniors at Dhaka, and another Tournament in China, Kalpani was more successful the next year (2004) when Sri Lanka finished second and she in tandem with her partner ended up third at the Asian Juniors.

There was no question of being third time lucky as Kalpani finished third in the team event, the women's doubles and the mixed doubles at the SAF Games held in Islamabad. She participated, though without conspicuous success, at the world championships in China (2005). Her final trip out of the country was for the 15th Asian Games held in Doha Qatar in 2006.

Thereafter it was a case of hanging up her TT bat temporarily as the Advanced Level examination beckoned. The denial has been worth it, for she has now gained admission to a leading University in Singapore. Her Coach, Malinda Ellepola, a hard task-master, says that Kalpani was a model pupil and caused him no worry at all. Kalpani is the last in a long line of national champions produced from the Ellepola stable.

Over the last couple of years TT players in Kandy have been overtaken by those from Ambalangoda and Kurunegala. Fans in the hill country look to Ellepola to work his magic and restore the status quo.