Young table tennis prodigy Taavi Samaraweera, a student of S. Thomas' College Mt. Lavinia, has etched his name in Sri Lankan sporting history by achieving an unprecedented World Ranking of Number 4 in the Under-11 Boys category, as announced by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) recently. This remarkable feat marks the highest world ranking ever achieved by a Sri Lankan table tennis player in any age group.
It is also believed to be a historic moment for South Asia, with Taavi possibly being the first non-Indian player from the region to break into the Top 4 globally in this age category.
Adding to his impressive achievements, the talented 10-year-old recently clinched the Sri Lankan National Championship in the Under-11 Boys division at the National Ranking tournament. This victory has officially positioned him as the in his age group.
Despite his young age of just 10, Taavi has already gained significant international experience, representing Sri Lanka in numerous World Youth events and reaching several finals. His early exposure on the global stage has undoubtedly contributed to his rapid progress and development in the sport.
However, Taavi's father Hasitha Samaraweera an ITTF certified coach, in a heartfelt social media post, highlighted that all of his son's accomplishments have been achieved through personal sacrifice, hard work, and private dedication, without any support from the Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka or the Ministry of Sports. He expressed a sincere hope that Taavi's groundbreaking achievements will now be recognised by the relevant authorities.
He earnestly urged the Sri Lanka Table Tennis Association and the Ministry of Sports to step forward and provide the essential support that Taavi deserves to continue representing Sri Lanka at the highest level in the years to come. The father emphasised the importance of encouragement and belief in young talents like Taavi, stating that with the right backing, young Taavi has the potential to achieve even greater heights on the international stage.
A look back into Taavi's recent achievements
In March this year Taavi shined at WTT Youth Contender Event in Berlin, Germany and Havirov in the Czech Republic as he brought home two bronze medals.
His gold winning journey was halted by none other than the World Number 1 player in each event, proving just how tough and competitive these tournaments were. During late February and early March this year, Samaraweera after a hard fought final (U11) with India's Ishaan Goyal finished with his second consecutive Silver medal in a World Youth series, at the WTT Youth Contender in Vadodara.
In January this year Taavi became the first Sri Lankan to break into the top 12 world rankings in any age category.