Tuesday 12th September, 2006 11

Is women’s tennis wilting? Fact File Name: Jithmie Jayawickrema Born on June 7, 1991 School: Bishop’s College, Women’s National Champion 2005 and 2006 I’ll go on and Retained the title this year beating Amritha Muttiah in the final Present International Tennis Federation (ITF) U-18 World Rank: 962 The only child of Hirantha and Raji Jayawickrema Started Playing Tennis in 2000 Beginning of Career: Junior – Jithmie Beginners’ Squad at SL Tennis on ..... Association in 2000 by Revata S. Silva You’ve to win there to earn ITF ranking Coaches: Sylvester Francis (at he says it is difficult to hang on. points. You should be at least below 500 to school), Ganendran Subramaniam, Arul After winning two back-to-back sin- get a good foreign scholarship for tennis. Amalnathan, Shalini de Silva, Lasantha S gles titles in women’s nationals, So, it’s only now that I face the toughest Fernando and Chrishantha Perera S (SLTA Advanced Squad) this 15-year-old Bishopian says it’ll be a times,” Jithmie told “The Island” last two way fight from here for her: for spon- week. Achievements in SL Junior and sorship and for international ranking “I was the 4th seed when I won the Senior Nationals: points. The young Jithmie Jayawickrema nationals last year. It was very satisfy- U-12 winner in 2001 and 2002, and her parents, who sweated to make ing,” said the agile youngster. “But the U-14 runner-up in 2004 and 2005, their only child a champion tennis player pressure was immense this time as I was U-16 winner in both singles and dou- after four or five years of hard work, have the top seed. Now I have to look for more bles (partnering Ruchika Alahakoon) a tricky future ahead. The next will be the international tournaments. If I get a good 2005, hardest step for them. ITF ranking I will be able to get a scholar- Women’s Nationals winner 2005 [beat- “I’ll sit for my O’levels next year. Then ship to a good foreign tennis academy. I ing Amitha Arulpragasam 7-5, 7-6 (2) in I’ll be fully focusing on my game. You receive full support from the SLTA, my the final] need to get a good sponsorship to take school, my coaches and my parents. I’ll go U-18 winner this year part in the main ITF tournaments abroad. on from here..,” she added. Women’s Nationals winner this year in both singles and doubles (partnering Mahesha Seneviratne and beating Vindya Dayananda & Thavindra Two times national champion Ekanayake in the final) International Tournaments: Vajira Premaratne says: Inter-zonal C’ships in Chennai and t’s good that there’s been a great effort Thailand, Chinese Taipei and the Pondicherri, India, 2002, during the last few years from the Philippines. Rose Bowl Invitational C’ships in SLTA to improve our junior stan- Their improvement had been pretty Hong Kong in 2002, I Placed 5th in ITF U-14 Zone-II in dards. Now there is a lot of international fast during the last decade or so. Our jun- exposure as well for our players. Sri iors are training in the right way. But Myanmar in 2004 and was chosen for Lanka should rapidly improve its playing there has to be a proper way of finding ITF Asian team with Arulpragasam, Played for Asia Zone-I in Jakarta, standards. Those days we were on par good talent as well. The talent we had Indonesia 2004, with the top Asian countries like India, those days was incredible. World Juniors in Melbourne, Australia in 2004 and 2005, Became 3rd in ITF U-14 Zone-II in Vietnam and was again placed in the Asia Zone-I with Nilupul Goonasekara, Suresh Subramaniam - SLTA President: Won the 18th place out of 32 in Zone-I he progress of our girls’ tennis was station girls. They’re willing to continue in in New Delhi, India, not satisfactory compared to the spite of their studies and various other International Coaching: Was trained Tboys’. The main reason is that the commitments. As a means of encouraging under former pro Peter McNamara in parents are not encouraging the girls to these youngsters, we have decided to Thailand in 2004, pursue longer careers. financially back four top juniors on their One of eight member team that had Therefore the number of entries for jun- foreign tours and training. two-week training under legendary ior age groups is gradually going down. Jithmie is one. women’s player Margaret Court in But, during the recent past, there is an The others are Harshana Godamanna, Perth, Australia and played U-14 tour- improvement in the participation of out- Michael Siyaguna and Amritha Muttiah. ney at Melville Palmyrah Club, Played her first Junior ITF tourneys, Yonex Junior U-18, Group-IV and Mercedes Cup Group-IV in Bangkok, They dominated women’s tennis since ’70s Thailand entering the main draw both times. Maneesha Perera (4 times) ’77 and ’79-81 Testing times ahead: 15-yyear-oold Jithmie Jayawickrema, this year’s national winner, finds her Reached semis in one of the ITF girls Lihini Weerasuriya (6) ’85 and ’88-92 feet hoping for soothing times in fiercely competitive and extremely expensive international tourneys in Colombo in 2005 to be Saranga Sangakkara (6) ’91 and ’93-97 junior circuit. (Inset) Jithmie in front of the large wooden plaque displaying the women’s ranked below 900, Vajira Premaratne (2) ’89 and ’00 national winners’ list at the SLTA. Member of SL Fed Cup team for Sobhini de Silva (2) ’90 and ’98 - Pix Nishan S. Priyantha Bangkok this year.

Lemonade Cricket Sixes on Sep 30, Oct 1 Nalanda eyeing hat-trick by Reemus Fernando selected on first-come-first-serve basis. editions long tournament and the only (2002), St. Joseph’s College (1999) and taries on the first day and telecast live Nalanda College who have held the outstation school to clinch the title was Thurstan College. coverage of the final day on Channel eye. The Inter-School Invitational Six a upper hand in the tournament are eyeing Kalutara Vidyalaya. Incidentally, the hosts, the Wesliates The winners of the tournament will Side Cricket Tournament, which is popu- a hat-trick of wins this year having won Kalutara Vidyalaya won the have never won the trophy. take away the glittering Lemonade larly known as the Lemonade Sixes, the Lemonade Trophy in 2004 and 2005. In Lemonade Trophy in 1994 and Prince of The tournament will be played on a Trophy while runners-up will be awarded organised by the Old Wesleyites’ Sports fact, the Nalandians have won the title on Wales (1997) and De Mazenod College, matting wicket on knockout basis and the the Old Wesleyites’ Sports Club Trophy. Club will be worked off on September 30 five occasions beginning from 1996. Kandana (2003) are the only schools from teams will wear white on the first day Apart from the trophies to the teams the and October 01 at Campbell Park. The only other school to have won the Colombo suburbs to win the champi- and on the second day they will wear Best Batsman, Best Bowler, Best Fielder, The tournament sponsored by Ceylon title more than once is Royal College who onship. coloured kits. Man of the Final, Most Valuable Player of Cold Stores for the 14th consecutive year won the inaugural tournament in 1993. The other Colombo schools to have The organisers have made arrange- the Tournament will be awarded. will be contested by 24 teams who will be Colombo schools have dominated the 13 won this prestigious title are Lumbini ments to broadcast ball by ball commen-

St. Anthony’s National School, won the Seventh Colombo Marathon next month Western Province National schools Basketball Tournament organized by the Sri Lanka by Lakmal Fernando Pamunugama and Pitipana. Basketball Federation. The 7th Colombo Marathon 2006, organized by The distance is 42.196Km. In the Pre-Quarter Finals St. Anthony’s Wattala Lanka Sportreizen (LSR), will get underway on Applications will be available from September 20 beat St. Sebastian’s, Moratuwa 65-53. October 8th 2006 at 6.30 am. Competitors from a and registration will be on October 7, from 10.00 am In the Quarter Finals they beat Royal College, number of countries will participate in this internation- to 4.00 pm. Outstation participants will be provided Colombo 103-33, in the Semi-Finals they beat S. al marathon. accommodation. Thomas’, Mt. Lavinia 67-56 and in the final they Close to 500 athletes are expected to be at the At a media briefing last Wednesday, at the Monara beat D. S. Senanayake, Borella 60-43. starting point. Restaurant, D. K. R. Dharmapala, General Manager, Principal of St. Anthony’s Wattala, T. T. Sunil The marathon will be sponsored by SriLankan LSR, said that the twin aims of the Colombo Marathon Silva Thanapathi, Rev. Fr. Laxhaman Pieris Airlines, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of is to boost the image of Sri Lanka and to promote (Master-in-charge), Bro. M. Santiago, Sidath Sports, the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka, the tourism. Senanayake (Capt.) Sanketha Jayaratne (V. Cap.) Municipal Council, Sinhala Mp3.Com. and The awards ceremony will take place on October Jayavilla Ranawana (Coach), Yeshan Gihantha Premadasa Gems and Jewellery. 8 at 2.00 pm at the Ministry of Sports. The winners of (Assis. Coach) and the team pose here. The marathon will start at Torrington and proceed the Full Marathon (Men) and Full Marathon (Women) Pic Harold Withanage, Wattala corr. via Borelle, Dematagoda, and finally to will receive Rs. 50,000 each and an air ticket from Negombo along the Dutch Canal through Wattala, SriLankan Airlines. Mahamaya Girls’ College, emerged champions at the Central Province Athletics meet held at Asgiriya Police ground, recently. The champions are pictured here with their principal. (1st row L-R): Dhanusha Warusamanne, Windya Amarakoon, Kalani Weihena (Champion under 15 track events), Ayeshika Jayawardana (Under 11 Best Athlete - field events with new a record in high jump), Chamodya Amarakoon, Anjali Dissanayake, Chathurika Puchihewa. (Second row L-R) Ms. Vishaka Herath (Deputy Principal), Ms. I. Vithanachchi (Principal), Ms. Asoka Dissanayake (Deputy Principal), Indu Ranasinghe (Staff). (Third row - L-R) Dharshika Malwani, Oshadi Hettiarachchi, Menaka Weerasekera, Lakmini Wijesinghe, Ishani Jayatillake, (L-RR): Derwin Perera, Deputy Director of Sports, Udaya Nanayakkara, Chairman, Ceylon Thilini Liyanage, Nilushi Perera, Ruchani Weerakoon, Tourist Board, Chandana De Silva, Head of Corporate Communications, SriLankan Airlines, Harshani Abeykoon, Chamalka Anandagoda (under 17 Ranjith Dayananda, ASP Traffic and Thilak Weerasinghe, Managing Director, LSR. champion track events) and Dasuni Bandula. - Pic Dimutu Premaratna (Pic Cyril Wimalasurendre, Kandy)