Promising table tennis player from Wesley College, Lithmina Mahanama won a treble title at the inaugural All Island Table Tennis championship held for All Island Semi-Government/International/Private Schools and Veteran Championships. This table tennis tournament took place at the S. Thomas College and Lalith Athulatmudali MV Indoor Stadiums in Mt. Lavinia over the weekend.
Lithmina, the only schoolboy table tennis player to make use of the rare pen holder grip proved his class winning the titles of Under-15 Boys Singles, Under-12 Boys Singles and U-12 doubles event. Lithmina who is an up-and-coming paddler, is a leading player among younger table tennis players. He is on the verge of spreading his dominance in the national and international junior circuit as well. Recently Lithmina proved his prowess by winning some major table tennis tournaments. After his success at this contest Lithmina was awarded the ANC Education Challenge Trophy given for the most outstanding player. Lithmina still a 11-year-old Grade 7 student at Wesley College Colombo also represented Sri Lanka under 12 Junior Team for World Hopes Championship in Austria last year.
In the Under-12 Boys Singles final Lithmina beat Chathura Gunasekara of Sussex College Kandy by two sets to nil, recording 11-7 and 11-8 points in both rounds. He then paired off with his singles opponent Chathura to beat Pium Ekanayaka and Harshana Karandawela of Vidyartha College Kandy by two sets to one. In the Under-15 Boys Singles final Lithmina had an easy passage to win the title as he beat Savan Abeyratne of Chandananda Buddhist School, Kandy convincingly by two sets to nil.
Among others to shine at the contest were Daham Peiris of Trinity and Githmi de Silva of Museaus who also received the ANC Education Challenge trophies. Daham and Githmi won the Under-18 Boys and Girls Singles titles respectively. Daham beat T.M.S.Y. Tennakoon of S. Thomas College Mt. Lavinia by two sets to nil while Githmi had very little opposition from team-mate Dewmini Weerasena in the Under-18 Girls Singles final. Dewmini who lost the Under-18 Girls Singles final by two sets to nil also reached the Under-15 Girls Singles final but lost to Eroni Kavindya of Holy Family Convent Kalutara by two sets to one.
In an all Vidyartha final for the Under-18 Boys Doubles title Prasad de Silva and Pawan Hemasinghe beat Krishan Wickkramaratne and Akila Dodankotuwa by two sets to one after a thrilling battle. The Under-18 Girls Doubles was won by the paring of Sheshala Bandara of St Joseph’s Girls School Kegalle and Isuri Godawita of Maliyadewa Girls School Kurunegala. They beat Chamathsara Divyanjalee and Ashani Attapattu of Girl’s High School Mt. Lavinia by two sets to nil.
Trinity’s Attaab Manzil, who is just six-years of age, won the Under-8 Boys Singles title while the Girls Singles title in the same age group went to Bimandee Swarna Sri of Sussex College Kegalle. Attaab who is an exciting player to watch came out with perfect attacking shots. He was on top and was the cynosure of all at the tournament where Trinity gained major honours. Attaab’s brother Abdulla reached the Under-10 Boys Singles final but lost to Dewmith Weerasena of Lyceum International Nugegoda who recorded an easy two sets to nil win.
Ishara Madurangi was the leading player in the Women’s Open category. She won the Open Doubles title teaming up with Mavulee Peiris representing Air Force Sports Club. She also won the Mixed Doubles title partnering Rohan Sirisena.
The tournament conducted by the Ping Pong academy and sponsored by ANC Education Limited. Gishan Sumanasiri the Assistant General Manager of Degree Completion Programme for ANC Education, Chandana Perera, the Vice President of Sri Lanka Table Tennis Association and former table tennis player Nalin Athula graced the occasion.
– Naushad Amit
Results
Under-8 Girls Singles: Bimandee Swarna Sri (Sussex Kegalle) beat Isuri Yatigammana (Hillwood Kandy) – 2-0 (11/6, 11/6)
Under-8 Boys Singles: Attab Manzil (Trinity) beat Rasika Gunasekara (Sussex Kegalle) -
2-0 (11/9, 11/6)
Under-10 Girls Singles: W.I.S. Priyashadi (Sussex Kegalle) beat Naduni Aberatne (Our Lady’s School Nuwara Eliya) – 2-0 (11/1, 11/5)
Under-10 Boys Singles: Dewmith Weerasena (Lyceum International Nugegoda) beat Abdulla Manzil (Trinity) 2-0 (13/11, 11/6)
Under-10 Boys Doubles: Isuru Hansa / Nirashan Lahiru (Kegalu Vidyalaya) beat
Pium Ekanayaka / B. Srimal (Vidyartha Kandy) 2-1 (11/9, 11/13, 11/9)
Under-10 Girls Doubles: Lavangi Rajapaksha / Vinuji Perera (Maliyadewa BMV) beat
Lithara Perera / Ushiri Perera (Girl’s High School Mt Lavinia) 2-0 (11/5, 11/6)
Under-12 Boys Singles: Lithmina Mahanama (Wesley) beat Chathura Gunasekara (Sussex Kandy) 2-0 (11/7, 11/8)
Under-12 Boys Doubles: Chathura Gunasekara (Sussex Kandy) / Lithmina Mahanama (Wesley) beat Pium Ekanayaka / Harshana Karandawela (Vidyartha) 2-1 (11/6, 10/12, 11/8)
Under-12 Girls Singles: Tharushi Naveena (Good Shepard Convent Kotahena) beat Bimalka Perera (Holy Cross, Gampaha) 2-1 (6/11, 12/10, 11/5)
Under-12 Girls Doubles: Roshini Dahanaka / Piumi Dewdini (Holy Family Convent Kurunegala beat Ochini Dissanayaka / Samadhi Hettiarachchi (Mahamaya Kandy) 2-1 (12/14, 11/4, 12/10)
Under-15 Boys Singles: Lithmina Mahanama (Wesley) beat Savan Abeyratne (Chandananda Buddhist School, Kandy) 2-0 (11/9, 11/8)
Under-15 Boys Doubles: Chinthaka Ekanayaka / Thilina Wijesiri (Vidyartha) beat Dinesh Kavishka / Savindu Jayasekara (Vidyartha) 2-0 (13/11, 11/8)
Under-15 Girls Singles: Eroni Kavindya (Holy Family Convent Kalutara) beat Dewmini Weerasena (Musaeus) 2-1 (11/6, 9/11, 11/8)
Under-15 Girls Doubles: Pawani Sirisena / Rashini Rajapaksha (Maliyadewa BMV) beat
Hansani Piumila (Anula) / Yahani Mendis (Girl’s High School Mt. Lavinia) 2-1 (7/11, 11/6, 11/9)
Under-18 Boys Singles: Daham Peiris (Trinity) beat T.M.S.Y. Tennakoon (S. Thomas
Mt. Lavinia) 2-0 (11/4, 11/8)
Under-18 Boys Doubles: Prasad de Silva / Pawan Hemasinghe (Vidyartha) beat Krishan
Wickkramaratne / Akila Dodankotuwa (Vidyartha) 2-1 (9/11, 11/9, 11/9)
Under-18 Girls Singles: Githmi De Silva (Musaeus) beat Dewmini Weerasena (Musaeus) 2-0 (11/4, 11/8)
Under-18 Girls Doubles: Sheshala Bandara (St Joseph’s BMV Kegalle) / Isuri Godawita (Maliyadewa BMV Kurunegala) beat Chamathsara Divyanjalee / Ashani Attapattu (Girl’s High School Mt. Lavinia) 2-0 (11/9, 11/7)
Open Men’s Doubles: B.N.B. Jayasinghe (MAS Intimates) / Udaya Ranasinghe (Vidyartha) beat Indika Prasad / Sukitha Wickkramanayake (Air Force SC) 3-0 (11/7, 12/10, 11/5)
Open Women’s Doubles: Ishara Madurangi / Mavulee Peiris (Air Force SC) beat Ruhansi Wijekoon / Srimalee Wijekoon (Air Force SC) 3-2 (11/7, 6/11, 12/10, 4/11, 11/7)
Open Mixed Doubles: Ishara Madurangi / Rohan Sirisena (Air Force SC) Ruhansi Wijekoon / Sahanaka Ganegoda (Air Force SC) 3-0 (11/6, 11/7, 15/13) |
E-mail
