Thevinu and Gayashri bag honours at All-Island meet

Gayashri Dissanayaka

Thevinu Perera

By Susil Premalal

Thevinu Perera of St. John’s College, Nugegoda, and Gayashri Dissanayaka of Girls’ High School, Kandy, emerged as the standout performers at the All Island Intermediate Novices Age Group Table Tennis Championship.

Organized by the Joshepion Table Tennis Club, the tournament concluded on May 9 at the Municipal Council Indoor Stadium in Kegalle.

Thevinu Perera showcased a dominant performance to secure a double title. He clinched the Novices Men’s Singles crown by defeating Sathsara Nimasha of Kegalu Vidyalaya with a score of 11/4, 12/10. 

Perera also claimed the Intermediate Men’s Singles title after receiving a walkover in the final, as both semi-finalists were forced to withdraw due to unavoidable circumstances.

In the women’s category, Gayashri Dissanayaka also achieved a double victory. She secured the Under 17 Girl’s Singles title by beating Yonali de Silva of Mahamaya College, Kandy (11/5, 9/11, 12/10), and followed it up with a win in the Novices Women’s Singles by defeating Ovini Rathnapala of Lyceum International School, Gampaha (11/3, 11/9).

Other notable results were Danuja Karunarathne of Trinity College, Kandy, who swept both the Under 17 and Under 19 Boys’ Singles events. In a closely contested Intermediate Women’s Singles final, Mercy Thuvaraka of Sam’s College, Jaffna, overcame Ovini Rathnapala with a score of 11/6, 10/12, 11/9.

Other Final Results:

Under 7 Girls: Laksha Stanley (J/ Kokuvil Hindu Primary, Jaffna) beat Isiri Sihansa (Kegalu Balika Vidyalaya) – 11/8, 11/3.

Under 7 Boys: Gihas Karunanayaka (St. Mary’s College, Kegalle) beat Yuhas Vindhiw (JMC College, Kurunegala) – 11/6, 11/1.

Under 9 Girls: Pinidi Laknara (Rahula Balika Vidyalaya, Malabe) beat Harani Gunasinghe (Holy Family Balika M.V., Kurunegala) – 11/6, 4/11, 14/12.

Under 11 Girls: Peshali Gunawardena (Kegalu Balika Vidyalaya) beat Thisumi Attanayaka (Mahamaya Girls College, Kandy) – 13/11, 10/12, 11/9.

Under 13 Boys: Thehan Kheminda (Galahitiyawa Central College) beat Kavith Dhammika (Ecole International School, Digana) – 11/5, 11/3.

Under 15 Boys: Nuresh Kumar (St. Joseph’s College, Colombo) beat Janiru Senarathne (Dharmaraja College, Kandy) – 11/9, 7/11, 11/9.