Ranasinghe in line for TT triple
View(s):The ongoing three day Sakuna Challenge Trophy Table Tennis Tournament organised by the Kandy District TTA has provided another opportunity for Sri Lanka’s ‘Wonder-Boy’ Udaya Ranasinghe to stake his claims for a hat-trick. The matches are being conducted at the Jagath Rajapakse International Stadium in Doluwa.
Players from Vidyartha and Mahamaya, as expected, have dominated and entered all the finals.
Udaya Ranasinghe will have to overcome Udara Weerakoon (Under 15), Krishan Wickremaratne (Under 18) and Nirmala Jayasinghe (Open) if he is to gain a triple crown. The first two finals should be cake-walks, but Jayasinghe can make it tough for his practice partner.
Ridmi Karandanarachchi has entered the finals of the Under 18 and Open events. She will confront Shehshala Bandara on both occasions. Ridmi beat Thanushi Rodrigo in the first semi-final, while Sheshala overcame Samodhi Hettiarachchi in the second.
Top-seed Thanushi Rodrigo was upset by Ochini Dissanayake in the semi-final of the Under 15 event.She will meet Smadhi Hettiarachchi, who got the better of Janani Pushpakumara in the other semi-finals.
The tournament has also included an event for Veterans. Chaminda Rodrigo, Jagath Rajapakse, Gamini Silva, Dennis Peter and Krishantha Karunanayake are the leading lights in this category.
There have been over 400 entries for this tournament which bids fair to become one of Kandy’s leading Table Tennis Tournaments. – AK