Thilina Piyadasa of Sri Jayawardenapura University and Kalpani Herath of Girls High School Kandy emerged open men’s and women’s champions at the Chrys Gunaratne Memorial Open Table Tennis Championships concluded at the S. Thomas’ Gymnasium Mt Lavinia on Sunday .

Piyadasa, the former national champion clinched four straight sets (11-3, 11-1, 11-9, 11-1) to beat Rohan Sirisena in the men’s open final while 18-year-old Kalpani Herath fought a tough five set game to beat the national champion 13-year-old Ishara Madurangi of Sri Devanada College Ambalangoda. Kalpani won the first three sets 11-5, 12-10, 11-7 but young Madurangi fought back to win the fourth set 11-9 . However, Kalpani kept her cool to clinch the deciding set 11-3 to clinch the title.

Infact, Ishara Madurangi’s performance was not underestimated during this tournament as she won the girl’s under 15 and under 17 singles titles by defeating Nadini Abeygunawardena of Girls High School and Ruhansi Wijekoon of Maliyadeva Kurunagala at the finals respectively. "Madurangi is from a tsunami-affected area in Ambalangoda and she has no facilities. Given such conditions her feat is commendable," said a senior official of the Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka(TTASL).

Meanwhile, Tharindu Samaraweera defeated Gihan Madusanka Liyanage to take the boy’s under 19 title while Kalpani Herath defeated Chandi Hansa of Devananda to win the girl’s under 19 title. Chandi Hansa made it to the tournament after losing her house due to tsunami.

Dhamasoka players Sachini Kavindi (boy’s under 9), Imantha Udanjaya (boy’s under 11), Pavitra Gimhani (girl’s under 13) won their age group titles, although they lack basic facilities for their practice. Ambalangoda coach Anura Lal speaking to ‘The Island’ said: "My players are not in a good mood to play as they are still suffering in the aftermath of the tsunami. But they work really hard to come back to the game. We are satisfied with their performance. Chandi Hansa lost everything but she is very keen to play. And I think sport is a good healer."

Meanwhile, Kavindi Halkewela of Southland BMV Galle won the girl’s under 11 event defeating Oshadi Gunasekera of Dharmasoka. Kulanka Hendehewa of Royal beat W.G.M Bhanuka of Royal to take the boy’s under 9 title.

In the veterans over 40 women’s event former national champion Namal Gunasekera won the title defeating Amara Chandratillka while Dr G. N Lukas won the over 40 men’s title defeating Rajiva Wijethunga of Ceylinco Shriram .

In the doubles events, Namal Gunasekera and Pradeepa Dilrukshi defeated Ishara Madurangi and Chandi Hansa to win the open women’s doubles title while Thilina Piyadasa and Rohan Sirisena beat I. T Gunapala and K.S.T Chalitha to win the open men’s doubles title.