Sri Lankan table tennis reached a historic milestone as 10-year-old Taavi Samaraweera rose to World No. 1 in the Under-11 boys’ rankings, becoming the first Sri Lankan player to top the world rankings in any age group.

Samaraweera’s ascent follows a gold medal performance at the World Table Tennis Youth Contender World Ranking Tournament in Italy earlier this year, where he won the Under-11 title.

The victory also made him Sri Lanka’s first World Youth Champion in table tennis.

Despite his age, Samaraweera has also climbed to World No. 11 in the Under-13 category, competing against older international opponents and his rapid rise has marked him as one of the most promising young players in the sport globally.

Before winning the world title in Italy, Samaraweera had already broken new ground by becoming the first Sri Lankan to reach World Youth Contender finals.

He collected five silver and four bronze medals at international youth tournaments prior to securing his first gold at world level.

The Youth Contender circuit is regarded as one of the strongest competitive platforms for emerging players.

In recognition of his achievements, Samaraweera was named “Most Outstanding Sports Achiever of the Year” at the S. Thomas’ College Colours Award Ceremony, an honor awarded across all sports.

Samaraweera’s accomplishments represent a landmark moment for Sri Lankan table tennis, signaling a new chapter for the sport as the young prodigy continues to set unprecedented benchmarks on the international stage.

Source -The Leader