Ishara clinches a Triple Crown

Sanjaya Ariyaratne

The promising lass from Sri Devananda College Ishara Madurangi, Ambalangoda reigned supreme at the Ashok Mottoomul Melvani Memorial Open All Island Ranking Table Tennis Championships by bagging a triple crown which concluded on Sunday at S. Thomas’ College, Indoor Stadium, Mount Lavinia. K.S.T. Chalitha (Seylan Bank) and A.M. Shashiranga (Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda) were the other top performers of the event where they completed a double each.

Ishara collected her ‘triple’ by winning open women’s singles, open women’s doubles and girls under 18 events comprehensively. Though she competed in the girls under 21 event she could not make an impact. Ishara put up a splendid performance to beat national champion Deepika Rodrigo in a nail bitting women’s singles final which went the full distance.

K.S.T. Chalitha retained the men’s singles title and also took the men’s doubles title combining with Rohan Sirisena to complete his double. Little A.M. Sashiranga achieved a rare feet when he won under 15 boys singles and under 18 boys events convincingly. On his way to the final he toppled several fancied players.

The Results:

(Girls) Under 10- Piyumi Nishara (Devananda) bt. Ridmi Karadanarachchi (Mahamaya) 12/10, 11/5, 11/1.

Under 12- Umaya Tharakie (Dharmasoka) bt. Ruvini Kannangara (Musaeus) 11/8, 11/8, 11/9.

Under 15- Nuwani Navodya (Dharmasoka) bt. Tharunya Sashini (Devananda) 11/4, 8/11, 11/5, 8/11, 11/6.

Under 18- Ishara Madurangi bt. Nuwani Navodya (Dharmasoka) 11/6, 11/8, 11/9.

Under 21- Tharindra Weerakoon (Maliyadeva BV, Kurunegala) bt. Pavithra Gimhani (Dharmasoka) 11/6, 11/7, 11/8.

Open Women’s Singles- Ishara Madurangi bt. Deepika Rodrigo (Lake House SC) 11/8, 8/11, 8/11, 11/8, 11/3, 9/11, 11/7.

Open Women’s Doubles- Ishara Madurangi/Chandi Hansa bt. Tharindra Weerakoon/ Aloka Indunilee 3/11, 11/7, 11/7, 11/9.

(Boys) Nuwantha Niroshana (Dharmasoka) bt. Udaya Ranasinghe (Vidyartha) 11/6, 11/7, 11/8.

Under 12- Kulanaka Hendahewa (Royal) bt. Nuwantha Niroshana (Dharmasoka) 11/8, 11/6, 11/5.

Under 15- A.M. Shashiranga bt. Malith Dilusha (Devananda) 11/6, 8/11, 11/6, 11/8.

Under 18- A.M. Shashiranga bt. Samitha Abeyratne (Royal) 11/6, 8/11, 11/6, 11/7.

Under 21- Buddhika Walagampola (Royal) bt. Samitha Abeyratne (Royal) 11/8, 11/7, 9/11, 3/11, 11/4.

Open Men’s Singles- K.S.T. Chalitha bt. Sukitha Wickramanayake (Dharmaraja) 11/5, 11/8, 11/9, 12/10.

Open Men’s Doubles- K.S.T. Chalitha/ Rohan Sirisena bt. K.S.T. Lakshan/ G.P.H. Sajith 11/6, 6/11, 11/9, 11/7.

Open Mixed Doubles- Indika Prasad/ Deepika Rodrigo bt. Ishara Madurangi/ G.P.H. Sajith 11/8, 11/3, 10/12, 11/9.

Masters Men’s Singles- Lalith Priyantha (Butterfly SC) bt. M.M.M. Laffeer (Veterens TC) 11/13, 11/5, 11/8, 11/0.

SSP Daya Samaraweera, former President of Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka (TTASL) was the chief guest with Ajith Gamage, a former secretary of TTASL and Suresh Melvani as the guests of honour for the conclusion ceremony. This three day competition was conducted by the TTASL.