SL paddlers for Libhera World championship

S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy sports correspondent

The Sri Lanka national table tennis team which was in India last week is in Paris this week to participate in the Libhera World Table Tennis championship 2013 which commenced yesterday in France.

Sri Lankan women’s team after their fine showing at the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship should go with their morals high to put up an even better performance.

Vice President of the Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka Sadisi Nirasha Peiris in a conversation from India said that the men’s team will have one change from the one which participated at the commonwealth championships.

Sajith Kavinda of Sri Lanka Army will replace Milinda Lakshitha of Sri Lanka Air Force who will return to the island.

The men’s team will be led by many times national champion Rohan Sirisena of Sri Lanka Air Force, the current national champion Nirmala Jayaisnghe of MAS Holdings, Sajith Kavinda of Sri Lanka Army and 15 year old Schoolboy and Junior National champion Udaya Ranasinghe.

The women’s team will be led by six times national champion Ishara Madurangi of Sri Lanka Air Force and the rest of the team will comprise schoolgirls – Nuwani Navodhaya of Dharmasoka College. Ambalangoda, Praveena Silva of Kandy Girls High School, Pavani Sirisena of Maliyadewa Girls College, and Ridmi Karadanaranchchi of Mahamaya Girls College Kandy.

Much is expected from the experienced Ishara Mudurngi who is reputed for her power play and skills to turn around a game. Nuwani Navodhaya of Dharmasoka College who is the current Junior National champion is another player who could bring honour to the motherland with her skills and knowledgeable play.

Pavani Sirisena too is in fine nick. The two school girls from Kandy Praveena Silva and 14-year-old Ridmi Karadanarachchi too are capable of upsets.

National Table Tennis Coach cum Manager of the team Jagath Rajapakse said that the team was training hard and should get over the problems of acclimatisation as the tournament progresses.

Above all their spirits are very high after their good performance at the Commonwealth Table Tennis championships. Though we did not win any championship titles but we did well in a tournament of that nature.

The members of the delegation are M.S.M. Raseem (Treasurer TTASL), Tamara Hewage (Delegate) and Sadisi Nirasha Peiris who is a Vice President of the TTASL and coordinates with the media.