Niluka hoping for the best at Olympics

Dilanka MANNAKKARA

He is Sri Lanka's undisputed king of badminton. He has won nine consecutive National Singles titles and has represented Sri Lanka in badminton at almost all stages in the world expects the pinnacle in sports, the Olympics. But now after lots of hard work and sheer brilliance, Niluka finally deservingly got selected to represent Sri Lanka for the London Olympics 2012.

Niroshan Wijekoon was the first badminton player and first male player to be selected for badminton in 1988 Barcelona Olympic games and Niluka will be the second male shuttler to represent Sri Lanka. Thilini Jayasinghe is the third to achieve this feat. Daily News met up with Niluka and here are some excerpts from the interview.

Q - How do you feel that your going to be part of the biggest sports extravaganza in the world, the London Olympics 2012?

A - I feel very proud and I honored to be part of the Olympic team representing Sri Lanka. I was selected from the Asian region because I am in the first fifty of the world.

I will be playing the male singles event in Olympics and 38 players qualify and I am ranked 30 in the Olympic list. I am currently ranked 47 in the world and I am the only Lankan to be among the top 100 male shuttlers in the world.

Q - How have you fared in the recent past,can you tell us more about the tournaments you won?

A - I won five gold medals recently in five different international tournaments. They were tough ones with world's top players participating and I fared brilliantly. I won gold medals Puerto Rico International Challenge, the Miami International series and the Wales International Series. I am in form and I am playing my best bit of badminton right now.

Q - What would be the format of the badminton tournament at the London Olympics?

A - It would be a knock out tournament from game one and if you lose one game it curtains for you. I will strive to do my best.

Q - The Olympics is going to be a very tough tournament for you,the world's all top shuttlers will participate. What would be your goal?

A - It is going to be very tough, no doubt about it. But I would play as well as I could and win as many games as possible and bring credit to my country.

Q - What sort of international experience do you have?

A - I have participated in the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in badminton a number of times.

Those tournaments are probably second best to the Olympics so I have got no fear of participating. I am not fazed by big names and I will do my best in the Olympics.

Q - Did you undergo any foreign training or work with foreign coaches?

A - We have a Malaysian top coach named Shankar in Sri Lanka and he is our National coach.

I train under him and he is very knowledgeable and improves us on our shots,shot selection,technique and stamina.

Q - McLarens Holdings must have been a tower of strength for you. Can you talk about it?

A - Well, yes. McLarens has been supporting me throughout and I owe a lot to them.