Carrom champion Chamil was coached by grandmother

Anushka Withanage

Most champions have hired coaches. But Chamil Dharshana Cooray, Sri Lanka's reigning men's carrom champion, who was a member of the world title winning Sri Lanka team in 2008, is coached by his grandmother.

"Grandma Kamala Wickramasinghe has been a prominent slicer during her time and it is her coaching that has helped me to become the No.1 in Sri Lanka," revealed Chamil. The champion slicer believes that Sri Lanka needs to go professional in the sport like neighbouring India if the islanders are to further develop.

He said that India is well-known internationally because carrom is played on a professional basis in a big way.

"We should follow the Indians. They are the ideal example for Sri Lanka to take and evolve their game in the professional lane. Europe too is another sector from which we could borrow something," said 24-year old Chamil, the former St.John's, Nugegoda product who has been national singles champion for a record six years.

On the international circuit he has been runner-up twice and third once in the Asian region. The champion slicer took to carrom in 1990 and played in his first tournament in 1994.

He felt that carrom was of a high standard at the senior level. Of course, the juniors needed to further evolve their game for which basically they should practise regularly and importantly put their heart and soul into mastering the finer points in this indoor sport ruled by the disc encompassing 9 dogs per side and the red from which the winner is found.

Chamil said that he practises about three hours a day in the recreation room at Seylan Bank where he is employed.

He is thankful to the Sports Ministry for helping him out financially when it comes to international tours.

His main local opponent has been No.2 Nishantha Fernando in recent years. Chamil, who successfully represented Sri Lanka in the men's team at the 2008 World Cup in France, was also runner-up in the doubles event in the same championship.