Two weeks away from SA Games opening ceremony

The organising committee of the 10th South Asian Games has intensified its operations with just two weeks left for that grand opening ceremony.

All arrangements connected to the grand opening of the mega event have now been finalised and the organisers plan a dress rehearsal during the final week to make sure that everything is in order.

The fireworks, provided and shipped by the courtesy of the Chinese Government are expected to reach Colombo by later next week. Cultural and other ceremonial teams are making their final preparations for a perfect show before their 2,500 foreign guests and thousands of home supporters.

The Sugathadasa Stadium would be packed to capacity for the grand opening. On a suggestion made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa while he was the Prime Minister last year, Sri Lanka will add flavour of local culture and tradition when it hosts the 10th South Asian Games.

The organising committee is making every effort to add Sri Lanka's rich cultural and traditional values to give some truly Sri Lankan flavour to South Asian sporting family.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka table tennis team is making its final preparations for the upcoming Games. Sri Lanka has finalised its ten-member team. The national selection committee, headed by Nimal Fernando, has picked ten top players after open trials conducted by TTASL.

The Lankan TT players are undergoing a residential camp at S. Thomas' College Indoor Stadium with all necessary facilities. But table tennis has been a tough sport for Sri Lanka in the SA Games history as far as the medals are concerned.

But Sri Lanka team, training under the national coach Jagath Rajapakse, P. D. Ratnasiri and assistant coach W. A. Buddhasiri, is determined to do well and make their presence felt.

Leading Sri Lanka team will be Thilina Piyadasa of MAS Holdings. The other members of the team are Rohan Sirisena (Ceylon Insurance), Indika Prasad (Seylan Bank), Gihan Liyanage (Dharmaraja College) and Tharindu Samaraweera (S. Thomas' College), Deepika Rodrigo (Lake House SC), Ishara Madurangi (Sri Devananda, Ambalangoda), Kalpani Herath (Girls High School, Kandy), Ruhasi Wijekoon (Maliyadeva), Srimali Wijewardena (Holy Family Convent, Kurunegela).