(UTV|COLOMBO) – Two experienced paddlers Rohan Sirisena and Ishara Madurangi will lead the Sri Lanka Table Tennis team for the 21st Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships scheduled to be held from July 17 to 22 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadum, Cuttack, Oshida, India.
Four men and four women were selected to play in this tournament after the Selection Committee held two trials at S. Thomas’, Mt. Lavinia gymnasium.
Krishan Wikramaratna, Nirmala Jayasinghe and Milinda Lakshitha are the other three players of the men’s team while Bimandee Bandara (Hillwood), Chamathsara Fernando (Visakha) and Jithara Warnakulasuriya (Ladies College) are the other women’s team members for this tour .
The Commonwealth TT Federation in collaboration with the Indian TT Federation will conduct men’s and women’s team championship, men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles in this competition. Australia, Bangladesh, Cyprus, England, Jersey, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Singapore, Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Wales and hosts India are the 14 countries that will take part in this tournament. Sri Lanka finished in fifth place in the men’s championships while in the team event they finished seventh.
Chandana Perera, former president of the Sri Lanka Table Tennis association, who will accompany the team as Manager cum Delegate said this tournament very important for the Sri Lankan paddlers to get international exposure prior to the forthcoming South Asian Games to be held in December in Nepal. Former national player Buddhika Dikkumbura has been named as the coach of the team while Priyani Disanayake will accompany with the team as Lady Chaperone.
Sri Lanka team for the Commonwealth TT Championships:
Men – Rohan Sirisena(captain), Krishan Wickramaratna, Nirmala Jayasinghe, Milonda Lakshitha
Women – Ishara Madurangi (captain), Bimandee Bandara, Chamathsara Fernando, Jitara Warnakulasuriya
Officials: Buddika Dikkumbura (coach), Chandana Perera (Manager cum Delegate ) (DN)
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