‘Squash Akki’ – fan-base and fame at school for Chanithma
I played the national finals, but couldn’t win, and I finally won - Chanithma - Pic by Priyanka Samaraweera
On Thursday this week, Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya was celebrating their 50th anniversary. It was not only a consequential day for squash’s latest women’s champion, Chanithma Sinaly’s alma mater Sirimavo BV, but so was it for her.
Nearly a week since winning the 42nd Squash Senior Nationals, as a champion for the first time, she is sitting pretty in fame and name.
“After the Commonwealth Games (CWG), the school had a felicitation for me. That time the whole school was seated before me, along with madam principal and rest of the teachers”, the 17-year-old maiden champ told the Sunday Times.
“From that they knew me, they started fanning me,” she said, accompanied by an innocent giggle.
“That is when the actual thing started. They have known me pretty well since then. Everyone….I don’t even know who they are….but they will say…’Ah…..squash akki…bye. Akki, you play squash right, bye!’ Now, it’s like…,” she indicated in expressions it has been an overwhelming response.
These are up and coming days for their school captain as she is turning into that celebrity.
“Actually, I actually expected something like this,” she confessed.
Donned in that squash kit, speaking at the Royal College Sports Complex by their squash courts, she praised her father, Mahesh Chandana, also her personal coach, profusely.
“Yes, of course. Not only in sports but so it is in academics. That bond was very strong even with the help of my mother”.
“Though Sri Lanka Squash was with or without a national coach, I did my training with my father, my coach as well, since the time I started playing squash. I did my training with him all the time. It does not matter whether we had a national coach, because my coach was my father”.
Chanithma certainly did close the calendar on a high, clinching the crown, beating a three-time champion, Fathoum Issadeen.
“Yes, fortunately, I could become the national champion. It was a successful year. So I’m really happy about that”.
Recounting that fabulous Friday (30), when it all unfolded, she admitted that she grew in confidence when she wrapped up the third set, beating the CWG discard Issadeen in straight sets.
En route to her title, she only grew from strength to strength.
“Yes, I grew in confidence. Actually, I went into the match with the intention of winning. First set I beat her 11-8. With that, I grew a little bit in confidence. Okay, I’ve beaten her in the opening set, now the second set. My father was like; just forget about the first set, just concentrate on this. Think that this is your first set”.
“I played the second set also 11-8. Then, my mind was telling, ‘only one more set, just finish it’. With my father’s support and game going in my way, I grew in confidence”.
After it was sealed, now in her Advanced Level grades, she gestured to her father immediately after the win.
“Being the national champion makes me really happy. My aim was not to upset anyone emotionally but had the dream to become the national champion. So since the CWG, I trained targeting this. This year, my main intention was to win this national tournament. I’m really happy and I’m really proud of doing that. I’ve been playing nationals for three years now. First two years I played the national finals, but couldn’t win, and I finally won”, she elaborated.
Revealing how she took to the racket sport, “Since my father is a coach, from grade two I started playing squash. That was the foundation I got. Also my school Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, there were really good and national-level squash players. My father as my coach and the school were the factors in fuelling me to take this sport”.
The journey since then, particularly in the last lap approaching G.C.E. O/L, was all a packed schedule. There have been times she had to juggle studies and sports, and her mother would remind being that alarm clock alerting.
“During the O/L, I had only a month to study. The trials of CWG and another foreign tour clashed with the last month to prepare for the exam. I told my father, I am only going to allocate a day or two for squash. Unfortunately, I could not though, since CWG trials got postponed and I had to keep on practicing”.
She was, however, not under pressure because her parents said to simply pass the exams.
“I used to go for practice in the morning, come home, rest, and then I go to my study room. Even after school, I have had jammed schedules. I finish school, run for two hours of practises, head over for tuition classes and by the time I return home through traffic it would be almost time for dinner. I still do my homework, revise past papers”.
She finally concluded crediting various parties, for being the backbone, including her school and parents. The recent past has been great times for her in sports and studies. After acing her O/L exam with eight ‘A’ passes and a C, she has also tasted her first major victory after exactly a decade in the game.