Dream come true for shuttler Viren
Despite a dry spell in the sports realm, Sri Lankans from all walks of life received two groundbreaking pieces of news that brightened an otherwise lackluster week devoid of sports activities.The first piece of news revolved around the Sri Lanka women cricketers achieving a historic double. Initially trailing 1-0 in the Women’s ODI Series against South Africa, the Sri Lankan women managed to chase down a daunting target of 302 runs in Potchefstroom. Not only did they reach 305-4 with 33 deliveries to spare, leveling the series at 1-1, but skipper Chamari Athapaththu’s unbeaten knock of 195 runs off 139 balls, including 26 fours and five sixes, etched her name and the team’s victory into the annals of women’s cricket history.
Shortly thereafter, on the same day, another sensational piece of news emerged: Viren Nettasinghe, a badminton player, secured qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics, representing Sri Lanka. Initially ranked above 800 globally when he commenced his Olympic Qualifying campaign just over a year ago, the 20-year-old Nettasinghe now stands at 72 in the BWF global Men’s Singles Ranking, having amassed 24,030 ranking points throughout the season, placing him 32nd among the qualified shuttlers for this year’s Olympics.
“It’s an overwhelming feeling, to achieve such a feat of representing the country at an Olympic Game at my age. Nothing would be possible if I hadn’t got the backing of my parents, Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB), and the Ministry of Sports. They had the confidence in me, and finally I was able to deliver,” expressed an elated Nettasinghe to reporters in Colombo.
Nettasinghe’s accomplishment marks him as the third shuttler from Sri Lanka to reach the Olympics, following in the footsteps of Thilini Jayasinghe and Niluka Karunaratne, both now retired from the sport. Jayasinghe was 23 when she first represented Sri Lanka at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, while both Jayasinghe and Karunaratne were 27 when they participated in the 2012 London Olympics. Karunaratne went on to represent the country in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro and 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Nettasinghe’s achievement at the age of 20 surpasses the milestones of his predecessors, indicating his potential to excel further on the global stage. Fresh out of school at St. Peter’s College, Nettasinghe has ample time to enhance his skills and become a top-tier shuttler internationally.
“This is a significant milestone for SLB, as well as for Viren (Nettasinghe), but this is just the beginning. We can plan more comprehensively with a structured programme for major competitions like the Olympics if we had a national complex with at least 20 courts meeting international standards. This achievement was a result of commitment and dedication from the athlete, coach, manager, SLB, and the Ministry of Sports. With proper infrastructure, we can aim to produce more talents like Viren in the future,” stated Rohan de Silva, the President of SLB.
Having participated in 23 ranking competitions since mid-2023, Nettasinghe’s 24,030 ranking points were accumulated from just 10 high-ranking international events. With the support of his coach, manager, mentor, and father, Rohan Nettasinghe, father and son collaborated closely while keeping SLB and Ministry of Sports officials informed throughout the journey.
“Viren’s achievements are a testament to his dedication, commitment, and discipline. These are promising signs of a professional athlete. He is young, dedicated, and has the potential to surpass expectations, possibly even clinching an Olympic medal in future editions. His journey, from the beginning until now, has been meticulously documented for all relevant officials, culminating in the news we’ve been eagerly awaiting,” remarked Prof. Shemal Fernando, the Director General of the Department of Sports Development at the Ministry of Sports.
After a grueling seven-week tour across Asia, Africa, and Europe, Nettasinghe and his father returned home to Sri Lanka. As coach, manager, and physio, his father had tirelessly guided him through five competition weeks, following a similar expedition with six events prior.
“It was a challenging process, ensuring Viren was physically and mentally prepared for competitions. We had minimal breaks, and I had to oversee various aspects, including his nutrition, training, and fitness, while maintaining progress records and ranking points. It was demanding, but the results are now evident,” shared Rohan Nettasinghe.
With three months to prepare for the Olympics, Nettasinghe will undergo an intensive training regimen to make a mark at the prestigious event. Currently, he plans to take a short break before strategising with SLB and Sports Ministry officials for the Paris Olympics.
“Every athlete aspires to win an Olympic medal, though qualifying and participating are honours in themselves. It’s premature to make predictions, but progress will be gradual. We will collaborate with SLB and Sports Ministry officials to devise a comprehensive plan for Viren’s Olympic preparations and take it from there,” stated senior Nettasinghe.