Sri Lankan table tennis player Dinesh Deshapriya won the gold medal at the Para Table Tennis Thailand Open championships yesterday after working against all odds to secure a passage to the event.
Speaking to the Sunday Observer over the phone from Thailand, Deshapriya said it was a long drawn battle to win the gold while taking on a player from Hong Kong. He won 3-2.
“I was lucky to take part in this tournament and did my best to win the gold. As para TT players we face many difficulties especially in finding the sponsors. But being in the Navy I had their support and the Paralympic Committee always backs us to take part in these types of international events”, said Deshapriya. He also won the silver medal in the Para Asian Games in South Korea in 2014 and this time by winning the gold medal he only suggested the commitment that he has put in.
Deshappriya is expected to return to the island today.
At this year’s Para Asian Games in Indonesia, Deshapriya entered the quarter finals and lost to a player from China.
He is a former Isipatana College player and is differently able due to a leg defect at birth. But nothing discouraged him from pursuing his dream in the table tennis arena.
His two able-bodied elder brothers, Indika Prasad and Nuwan Sampath also played table tennis. Prasad is married to former national champion Deepika Rodrigo.
Deshapriya is ranked among the top five players in the country.