LALITH PRIYANTHA - The Player
* Began table tennis (TT) career at age 13, in year 1978
* Junior Nationals’ runner-up in 1979
* Enters Sri Lanka national squad in 1981
* Plays for Sri Lanka for 13 years, from 1981-93
* Sri Lanka Captain for five years, from 1989-93
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Lalith Priyantha[/caption]
“Women are usually reluctant to continue the sport after their age of about 20. That is not a good tendency. TT is not a costly sport nor does it take a large space. Any person with simple hand-eye coordination can play it,” he says.
“This game will enable ladies to have exercise, relaxation, and eradicate depression and dementia at the older age.”
Priyantha, the current veterans’ national champion, coached Sri Lanka team for the TT World Championship in 2010 and 2015, in Russia and China respectively.
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Lalith Priyantha receives sponsorship for the new ‘ladies only’ TT coaching programme from Janatha Steels, which is represented by its General Manager G.A.P. Roshan (on right), in Colombo on 29 October[/caption]
“In the ‘post pandemic’ society, this indoor sport will be a handy pastime for the busy professional women, the housewives, as well as those who aspire to play it more seriously as a competitive sport,” opines Priyantha.
“Janatha Steels Company joins us in this new endeavour. I’m willing to share my over 30 years of experience in TT,” adds Priyantha who is currently Coach of S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia and Methodist College, Colombo.
Further inquiries on this worthy cause can be made on mobile number +94 77 354 4825.