Lanka squash team to take part in Taipei, Melbourne

by Chris Dhambarage

The Sri Lanka squash team will compete in two major international tournaments shortly where they will tour the Chinese Taipei for the Taipei open championships and for the Commonwealth Games tournament in Melbourne, Australia.

The Taipei open championships will be held from February 16 to 26 and the Sri Lanka Squash Federation is planning to field an eight member team comprising of four men and four women in addition to two officials.

A spokesman for the Squash Federation said that they intend sending some of the more promising players for this event in an attempt to gain valuable experience and international exposure.

The Sri Lanka Squash Federation has already formed a pool of ten players comprising of five men and five women who are currently training under the guidance of national coach and former women's national champion Yasmin Zarook and assisted by R. S. Deen.

In addition the forthcoming senior national championships will also serve as a selection trial for these two tournaments. The national men's pool comprise of Kavinda Cooray, Yasir Issadeen, Anura Hewage, Eranga Alwis and Harin Perera.

The women's national pool includes Nirasha Guruge, Tehani Guruge, Kushani Daluwatte, Vidushi Gurunada and Randhima Ranaweera.

However the reigning men's national champion Saman Tillekeratne and former champion Navin Samarasinghe who are currently training in France and Australia respectively will also qualify for selection of the team depending on their availability.

Both players are tipped to represent the country at the Commonwealth Games which will be held in March.

The Sri Lanka Squash Federation has already named Tyronne Weerakkody as the manager of the national team.

Tillekeratne and Samarasinghe's presence for the senior nationals would certainly add more glamour to the tournament which will be worked off from January 24 to 28 at the Sugathadasa indoor stadium.

The events that will be worked off are the men's open, women's open, women's novices, men's novices, men's over 35 and men's over 45.