“Table Tennis is like an atom. To the ignorant it is merely microscopic and insignificant in existence, but to the dedicated, it is intricate in design and the building block to everything we know”Well said by the famous Table Tennis player as well as a coach called “Matt Hetherington”.
Table Tennis, also known as “Ping-Pong ball game” and “whiff-whaff” , is a sport in which two or four players hit a light weight ball (ping-pong ball) back and forth across a table using small rackets and the game takes place on a hard table divided by a net. The game is popular all over the world. In most countries, it is highly organized as a competitive sport especially in Europe and Asia. When it comes to the Sri Lankan context, both men and women engage equally in this sport. Thus, each and every year, young and talented table tennis players show colours at the highest level. The youngsters from university level are always highlighted. Among them, the talented table tennis players from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura display their colours every year while making mother J’Pura proud as always.
J’pura Table Tennis players have displayed their glory and power throughout the history. Well talented players from women’s team showed their talents since 2005 while securing runner-up at the Inter-University Games. Moreover, in 2006, 2008 and in 2009, our girls won the Inter-University Table Tennis Championship while indicating their excellence! Orderly, they won the runner-up in 2011, 3rd place in 2012, championship in 2015 and runner-up in both 2017 and 2018 . In the Sri Lanka University Games (SLUG), our girls conquered the runner-up in sequence in 2007, championship in both 2010 and 2013. Furthermore, they secured runner-up in 2016 and 2019 while taking USJ’s Table Tennis legacy into greater heights ! J’Pura women’s Table Tennis team displayed their power and worth by accomplishing runner-up in 2017 at the 7th Invitational Inter-University Championship conducted by the University of Kelaniya and the championship in 2019 at “MORA SMASHES” organized by the University of Moratuwa.
Equalizing with the spirit of the women’s team , the men’s Table Tennis team has shown off their flying colours throughout the history. Our boys were able to accomplish 2nd runner-up in 2011 and in 2012 , 1st runner-up in 2014 and 2017. Furthermore, they secured championship in 2015 and 2nd runner-up in 2018. Our well talented young boys were able to conquer the championship at the Sri Lanka University Games both in 2013 and 2016 bringing glory to mother J’Pura ! Proving the talents in Sri Lankan grounds, our players were also able to step onto International grounds at the 13th UITM International Sport Fiesta in 2018, Malaysia while securing a gold medal for Men’s Singles and silver medal for Mix Team Event.
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura is gifted with a skillful bunch of Table Tennis players who have performed well to make mother J’Pura proud. The spirit of the team mirrors up each player’s talents. The Table Tennis player, Thilina Piyadasa was able to achieve National Men’s Table Tennis Championship for eight times and it’s glad to say that he is the captain of the Sri Lankan National Table Tennis Team who represented the Sri Lankan National Table Tennis Team in Asian Games, South Asian Games, Asian Championships, Commonwealth Games and World Championships. Moreover, he was able to achieve 2006 South Asian Games – Team/ Doubles – silver medal, Singles – bronze medal. He could secure his place as the Sri Lankan No 01 Rank Player of Open Men’s Singles for several years according to the Table Tennis Association Rankings . D.P. Srimali Wimalarathne is another talented player who was able to participate in World University Games held in Shenzhen, China in the year 2011. She won the silver medal in Table Tennis team event in South Asian Games held in Bangladesh in the year 2010 and she participated in the 50th World Table Tennis Championship held in Russia in the year 2010 , won the silver medal in Table Tennis team event in South Asian Games held in Colombo, Sri Lanka – 2006 and National Championship in 60th National Table Tennis Championship 2006. Upeka Sanjeevi Kotinkaduwa is another talented young girl who secured rank No 05 in Sri Lanka Open Women’s Ranking – 2006, she is the one and only female representative selected by National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka to the 46th Session for young participants 2006 – Olympia, Greece ! A. Nivarthana Kumari Udugama got the chance to participate in the Sri Lanka University Table Tennis Team for World University Games – 2007 – Bangkok. Another skillful player is R.M.P. Sukitha Wickramanayke who represented Sri Lankan University team at the xxvi World University Games which was held in Shenzhen, China 2011 and Sri Lankan University team at the xxvii World University Games which was held in Kazan, Russia 2013. Moreover, the player got selected to represent the Senior National Table Tennis team for the World Championships – 2008 held in Guangzhou, China. Mallika Madushani Perera represented the Sri Lankan University team at the xxvii World University Games which was held in Kazan, Russia 2013 and 2nd Asian University Table Tennis Championships – 2010 – Hong Kong, China Another notable player is Imantha Udanjaya who participated in the Sri Lankan University Table Tennis Team for World University Games – 2015 – Korea and Sri Lanka University Table Tennis Team for World University Games – 2017 – Chinese Taipei throughout the history of Table Tennis in the university. Chameera Ginige is one of the remarkable players in the current Table Tennis team who was able to achieve a lot of victories while lifting the name of mother J’pura to the top ! His achievements are at the 13th South Asian Games, Nepal 2019 is a silver medal in Team Event and bronze medal in Men’s Doubles, Asian Table Tennis Championships, Indonesia – 2019 , 12th South Asian Games, India 2016 – silver medal in Team Event and bronze medal in Men’s Doubles, represented Sri Lanka National Table Tennis Team in Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships 2015 – India – won 7th place (team) for the first time in Sri Lankan Table Tennis history, represented the Sri Lanka National Table Tennis team in World Team Table Tennis Championships 2016 – Malaysia , participated Sri Lanka Table Tennis Team in the 28th World University Games – Korea – 2015 and the 27th World University Games – Russia – 2013 , Sri Lankan No 01 Rank Player of Open Men’s Singles according to the Table Tennis Association Rankings – 2018 , 72nd National Table Tennis Championship 2018 – National Champion. Thus, he could show his flying colours not only at national level but also to the whole of the world ! Kasuni Himaya Pitigala is another talented girl who participated in the Sri Lanka University Table Tennis Team for World University Games – 2017 – Chinese Taipei. Furthermore, Erandi Warusawithana is another skillful player who participated in the Sri Lanka University Table Tennis Team for World University Games – 2017 – Chinese Taipei and Sri Lanka University Table Tennis Team for World University Games – 2019 – Italy while making all of us proud.
The Table Tennis team of USJ is remarkable with its excellent performance. The team trains under a great personality. He is Mr. Dinesh Deshapriya, the current coach who is an ITTF PTT Level 03 coach at the Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka. He studied at Isipathana College and has accomplished several triumphs including his participation for National team in Able body and Para events. Able body; South Asian games 2010 – Team Event – silver , Para Events ; South Asian games 2010- Men Doubles – Brown , Asian Para Games 2014 – silver, Para Table Tennis Thailand Open Championship- 2018– Gold, Asian Para Table Tennis Championship- 2019- Browns. Behind each victory, there is a great leadership which is inevitable for a team. The present captain of Men’s Table Tennis team is D.B. Hewawickrama and the vice captain is M. Thomas. Also, Jayasinghe J.A.D.M. is the current captain of Women’s Table Tennis team and vice captain is N.M. Samarawickrama.
All of their great victories were not achieved with ease. With the immense contribution of both past and present players, USJ Table Tennis has gained great prestige in the context of Sri Lankan Table Tennis throughout the history ! We, the J’Pura flames family would like to wish them all the very best for a successful journey !
Article Written by : Kavishka Jayasekara
Graphic desined by : Jithmi Rajapaksha