The product from Vidyartha College Kandy, Prasad de Silva is expected to do well at the South Asian Table Tennis Championship which scheduled to be held from December 8 to 11 in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The 23 year old paddler Prasad Jayasanka de Silva came up with a good performance winning a triple crown at the Mercantile Open TT championship. Winning singles,doubles and mixed doubles at the Mercantile championships two years in a row gave me a boost while my present working place Emjay Penguin International Private Limited in Teldeniya Kandy looks into my needs
I am the first TT player from the Emjay company to represent the National TT team and their support encourages me to continue my sport. This time Emjay company give their fullest support to my Nepal tour and I really appreciate it.
I have to mention my two coaches Buddhika Dikkubura and Gayan Liyanage who have guided me up to date. I am training at two centres Suduhumpola and Nittawela under the guidance of Buddika. TT is a very popular sport today but dedication and commitment to the game is very important to develop skills. Actually my mother always give encouragement and she is my strength up to date.
Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka (TTASL) with President Dr Tharinda Weerakoon the former National player and Dr Srinath Chandana Wijetunga the Secretary are trying to promote the sport with the support of Sports Ministry and National Olympic Committee Prasad de Silva started his TT career at the age of five years and he continued his studies and finished the G.C.E.(A/L) in the Commerce stream.In school I had to balance my sport and Academic work and my teachers and the Principal gave good support .
In the year 2012 at the Junior National TT Championship Prasad became the Under 12 mixed doubles champion and in 2014 he secured the Under 21 singles title. In 2015 at the Senior National TT Championship he became Runner-up at the Men’s Singles event at the Under 21 age category.
“I have won the Gold medals at the Table tennis championship conducted by the Ministry of Sports at the National Festival from 2013 to 2017 but in the year 2014 I won only a silver medal.
“In 2015 and 2016 I was able to secure the Under 18 Boys doubles championship and at the Open men’s Singles championship in 2017 conducted by the Colombo Municipal Council Sports Dept. I became the runners up. In addition I was the boys TT champion at the Isuru Devapriya Challenge trophy open All Island Ranking TT championship in the year 2017 and in the same year I participated at the Inter Club League TT tournament of the Under 17 Mercantile TT Championship.
At International level I represented Sri Lanka National TT team in the year 2016 for the South Asian Games held in Shilong – Guwathi,India and secured a Silver Medal in the team event. This was most memorable event in my life .Actually in 2015 I was able to represent the Sri Lanka National team for the Commonwealth TT Championship held in India and in the same year participated at the South Asian Junior TT Championship in India and won a silver medal at the Junior Boys’ team event
At the Asian Junior TT Championship in 2015 held in Malaysia I got the 11th place and at the same Championship held in Pakistan I received a bronze medal and another bronze at the doubles event. In 2013 at the South Asian Junior Cadet TT Championship held in India I won a silver at the Cadet Boys’team event and a bronze in the singles event.Getting medals at the International level is a boost to my career said Prasad de Silva.
I was awarded the best Sports Star of Vidyartha College,Kandy in the year 2015 and Sri Lanka Table Tennis colours in 2015 & 2016 at the College Colours award ceremony and received a Gold Medal and Iam really proud to be a Vidyartha paddler.
Prasad de Silva said TT is my passion and wanted to continue this sport for a few more years. I have to keep my fitness to play this game. We are very keen to take part the South Asian TT championship. My team mates Nirmala Jayasinghe, Bimandi Bandara, Kasuni Pitigala, Oneli Lehansa, Tamadi Kavindya and Maneesha Shalindi are prepared for this event. We hope to get medals and bring honour to the country said Prasad de Silva.