Chalitha:

Aims to get back into form

Chalitha Ranjana, Sri Lanka’s most celebrated table tennis champion has represented the country in over 30 international championships and has won over 300 local ranking tournaments. In the year 2004 he won a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Championship which was held in Malaysia, regarded as the greatest achievement ever gained by a Sri Lankan paddler.

Chalitha won the first-table tennis tournament when he was nine and was the number one ranking player of the under 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 (all age categories).

In 1996 he won the Junior National Championship and clinched the National Championships three times, beating Thilina Piyadasa, Indika Prasad and Rohan Sirisena who were the best paddlers in Sri Lanka then. He was adjudged best player at many National Championships.

Chalitha is a Product of Sri Devananda College, Ambalangoda, known as the cradle of table tennis in Sri Lanka. He had the distinction of being the captain of Sri Lanka National Table Tennis team.

Daily News had a brief talk with him at the start of the new year and here are some excerpts from the interview.

Q: How did you start to playing?

A: When I was seven I used to take swimming lessons, because my home was very close to the beach and River. At that time my uncle, Anura Lal was the table tennis coach at Devananda College. One day he took me to Devananda College to watch his students playing table tennis and since that very first day, my interest on TT grew.

Q: What was your best performances at a local tournament

A: I have been the number one ranking player at all age categories during the school days According to table tennis Association Rankings (under 09,11,13,15,17,19) and won junior national championship in 1996. After winning junior national title my aim was to become a national champion one day, and just after four years, in 2000 I become national champion after beating great paddler Thilina Piyadasa.

I regained the National title in 2002, 2004and 2009.

Q: What was your best performance at international levels

A: I represent Sri Lanka table tennis team since 1997. I was a member of the Bronze medal winning teams at the 1999 and 2004 South Asian Games held in Nepal and Pakistan respectively. I won four medals at last year’s Dhaka South Asian Games including one silver medal and three bronze medals. In 2004 Commonwealth Championship I won a bronze medal.

Q: You have lost to Chameera Ginige at the pre quarters of last year’s National Championships

A: Yes I lost to him. I don’t have any excuses for that. I have to come to my best form once again and show my best sooner rather than later. In 2009 national final match against Chameera Ginige. I won the championship but he was a tough opponent and he will be a wonderful asset to Table Tennis in Sri Lanka

Q: You had a wrist injury last year and how much has that injury cost you

A: The injury cost me so many tournaments. At the start of year 2010 at SAG in Bangladesh, I played well. But unfortunately at the mercantile tournament, I collided with my doubles partner and my wrist was injured badly. Because of that I lost participation of few International tournaments as well as local tournaments.

Q: Finally what do you plan to do this year?

A: I have to get back into form soon and am hoping to represent the country and bring honour to Sri Lanka in Table Tennis