TT Association’s aim to win Gold at next SAF Games
The activities of the Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka have stepped up a few gears, the aim being to win gold for the country at the next SAF Games scheduled for New Delhi in 2013. These hopes are not entirely unrealistic as the Sri Lankan Team will be strengthened by the presence of eight time National Champion Tilina Piyadasa and Thanindu Samaraweera (son of former National Champion Jothipala), both of whom are currently studying, and playing, in the USA.Trials for the SAF Games will commence in November and Samaraweera and Piyadasa will be taking part.
One of the things that have triggered all this activity is the grant of 1500 TT Tables to schools all over the island. This has been organized by the President of TTASL Lasantha Alagiyawanna. Even children in the North and East will benefit from this munificence.
The Association is of the view that TT is one sport in which we could reach international standards provided the young paddlers are given proper guidance and the necessary facilities. Its mission is to spread the game to all parts of the country and to maximize the number of participants.
In this connection, the relative success of two under 12 players, Nissanka Tennekoon (Dharmaraja) and Hansani Piyumali (Anula MV) at world Tournaments in Austria and Sweden has been very heartening. Tennekoon ended up 16th out of 43, and Piymali 17th out of 29.
Manzil Muthalib, a former National Player who is a Vice President of the TTASL and the Head of Coaching and Development outlined the proposed programmes. As the ITTF is also focusing on youth, the TTASL has taken the cue. Provincial Training will start in November for 5 boys and 5 girls at the Jagath Rajapakse Stadium in Nilambe. Under 15 pool practices will start in September with coaches Buddika Dikkumbura and Chatura Aushan in charge – five coaches – Jagath Rajapakse, Y.C. Thilakaratne, Buddika Sikkumbura, Vajira Wickremasinghe (presently coaching in the Maldives) and Chatina Dushan – will lead the Development Programme and special emphasis will be laid on strategic planning.Twenty five boys and twenty five girls have been selected for pool practices which will be held every month under coaches W.A. Buddhasiri and Vajira Wickremesinghe. Finally, the TTASL hopes to train PTIs as coaches, and they feel that assistance could be obtained from the Ministries of Sport and Education for this. Table Tennis, at the moment, is a slightly low-profile sport ant the Association would like to chance he current image.Finally, the TTASL hopes to train PTIs as coaches, and they feel that assistance could be obtained from the Ministries of Sport and Education for this. Table Tennis, at the moment, is a slightly low-profile sport and the Association would like to change the current image.