Chalitha to play in NZ TT C'ships

Four times national champion Chalitha Ranjana was invited to play in the New Zealand Open Table Tennis Championship 2017 to be held in Christchurch from October 5 to 14.

Chalitha left the island last Wednesday to take part in the championship and he will play in the Open Men's Doubles with another Sri Lankan living in New Zealand Rajitha Samaraweera, a former Sri Lanka junior player. Chalitha will compete in the Open Over 30 Doubles partnering Vladmir Ivanov of Bulgeria and will combine with Gina Liu of China to play in the Open Mixed Doubles and Over 30 Mixed Doubles.

Considering the former Sri Lankan national champion's current and past performances Rajitha Samaraweera had made arrangments to invite Chalitha to come over to New Zealand to take part in this event. According to Samaraweera, Chalitha Ranjana was the best choice to invite due to his recent performances at the World Table Tennis Championship 2017 held in Dusseldorf, Germany last May where Chalitha was the only Sri Lankan paddler to win a match at the world event and expected to be a great success in keeping the Lion flag flying high in championship.