Kavindi a promising paddler

Sampath Bandara

Kavindi Sahabandu of Holy Family Balika, Kurunegala who is a gifted table tennis player is among the best girls table tennis players in the island.

Kavindi began playing table tennis at the age of seven under the guidance of her coach Chaminda Rodrigo.

In 2003 she clinched the third place in the under-9 girls event of Chrys Guneratne Memorial Table Tennis Championship and won the 3rd place Under-9 Girls event in the Western Province Table Tennis Tournament.

In 2004 she was ranked number 3 in the Under 9 Girls category. Next year Sahabandu was semi-finalist in the Under 11 Girls event. In the Junior Nationals Tournament in 2006 she participated in the Taiyuan International Junior Table Tennis Open Championship held in China.

This was her first overseas tournament. In the next year Kavindi was adjudged all island ranked number five player in the year 2007 and 2008 she won the All Island Table Tennis School Colours (Merit Award).

Year 2009 was a remarkable year for young star Kavindi Sahabandu.

She participated in the first Asian Youth Games held in Singapore and the 15th South Asian Junior and Asian Junior Championship held in Jaipur, India and Junior International Table Tennis Championship which was held in Indore, India. She was able to win Cadet Girls Team Bronze Medal and Cadet Girls Singles Bronze Medal.

Kavindi Sahabandu clinched the Under 15 Singles Championship, Under 18 Singles Championship, Open Women’s Singles Championship and Open Women’s Doubles Championship in the B.I.A. Samarasekara Memorial Triangular Table Tennis Championship.

This year in the North Western Province Table Tennis Championship Kavindi emerged Under 15 Singles Champion. Under 18 Singles Champion, Under 21 Singles Champion, Open Women’s Singles Champion and Open Women’s Doubles Champion and was adjudged the Most Outstanding Women’s Player in the tournament and ranked All Island No. 1 player in the Under 15 and All Island Under 18 Girls Ranked Number five.

She paid a glowing tribute to her coach Chaminda Rodrigo, Principal Rev. Sister Sriyani Rodrigo, Teacher in-charge Mrs. Geetna Ranjani, Secretary of Sri Lanka Table Tennis Association Chandana Perera and Chairman of the Selection Committee Dilshan Seneviratne.

She said that her next target is to win a medal in an international event and become a superlative table tennis star in Sri Lanka.