The All Island Table Tennis Junior Ranking tournament concluded this week after three successful days of action (18th, 19th and 20th) at the Kegalu Balika Stadium in Kegalle. This was also the first table tennis tournament to be held in the New Year 2019.
The tournament saw a total of 460 young paddlers, spread across 8 age groups, starting from the Girls’ and Boys’ under 10 singles categories, all the way up to the Under 18s. The Chief Guest of the Opening Ceremony was Mr. Kanaka Herath, Member of Parliament and the President of the Kegalle District Table Tennis Association.
The most outstanding player of the tournament went to Senura Silva of Ananda College, Colombo in the Boys’ Category while Bimandee Bandara of Hillwood College was named the most outstanding player in the Girls’ category.
In the U-10 age group where the youngest paddlers took the table, saw Tamadi Kavindya of Devananda College Ambalangoda win the girls’ championship followed up by Sandinithi Jayasinghe of Musaeus College Colombo with scores of 11/3, 11/13, 11/4, 5/11 and 11/3.
In the Boys’ category Shafiullah Akram of Al-Hudha International School, Kandy won the category defeating Kakaru Hennayaka of Ananda College Colombo after scores of 13/11, 11/9, 11/7.
Navindi Senevirathne of Kegalu Balika Vidyalaya, Kegalle won the final against Eshmini Sandunya of Kegalu Balika Vidyalaya in the girls’ U-12 age group. Danuk Lamasooriya of Ananda College Colombo and Oshan Senaratharachchi of Royal Colombo met in the Boys’ final of the U-12 age group with Danuk Lamasooriya managing to edge out Oshan easily.
The much more competitive age groups U-15 and U-18 were held in the afternoon sessions in the latter part of the tournament. Bimandi Bandara of Hillwood College Kandy beat Navindi Senavirathna of Kegalu Balika Vidyalaya in the Girls’ category while Senura Silva won the Boys’ category of the U15 age group defeating Thisas Ranchagoda in the final with scores of 11/7, 6/11, 13/11, 11/6.
The top category which was the U-18’s was won Imasha De Silva of Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda, defeating her schoolmate Sanduni Prabuddika in the final. Senura Silva of Ananda College Colombo beat Dewmith Weerasena of Lyceum International School Nugegoda in three sets to nil to take the Boy’s U18 championship.
The tournament ended with the Special Guests Mr.Chathura Jayendra, Acting President, Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka, Mr. Kasun Udara Vithana, Secretary, Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka, Former President of TTASL gracing the occasion at the closing ceremony to give away the awards.
