Millions of brilliant people around the world excel at different things; be it sports, academics, or anything else. However, people who excel in everything they do are seldom found. Chamathsara Fernando, the prolific table tennis player hailing from Sri Lanka, is one such personality. Her achievements speak for herself and justify the fact that she is an outstanding personality in every aspect. In addition to excelling at every single task she does, she showcases her humble and genuine heart all the time, which sets her apart from the crowd.
Being a little girl who cherished every playful evening she spent with her father, Chamathsara has laid a strong foundation for herself to be who she is today with the help of the little sporting moments she enjoyed as a kid.
Besides being a junior SAG medalist, Chamathsara was talented enough to represent the Sri Lankan Table Tennis team from age 14 at several arenas, including the World Championship, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and South Asian Games. Adding more glamour to her excellent sports achievements and flaunting her talent at being an all-rounder, she currently studies as an undergraduate at the University of Moratuwa.
Her story is better told in her own words than ours. Therefore, we took the opportunity to reminisce about her journey with this brilliant star herself.
Chamathsara, how were first you introduced to table tennis?
Being a sportsperson would undoubtedly be a major part of my life. On the other hand, being a table tennis player was somewhat unexpected. Even though my family is very active in sports, no one had played table tennis.
When I was in grade one, one of my friends went to table tennis practices and I was there outside of our small TT room, looking at the way the others were playing. It was my very first engagement in this amazing sport. However, I did athletics and badminton other than table tennis. Nevertheless, at the end of the day, table tennis was my choice to stick with. Simply put, that was the beginning of my never-ending sports journey.
What made you carry on with sports?
Undoubtedly my parents were the reason for me to carry on with sports. The biggest thing in this world that I am passionate about is sports. It does not matter what the sport is, I do enjoy every sporting moment. I still remember how my father used to play with me every evening, not only Table Tennis, but also so many other sports. That strong and sound foundation built me up into who I am today.
Does your family have a sports background?
Yes, my parents were actively engaged in sports when they were in school. My mother also engaged in athletics, netball, and volleyball during her school days. My father was a member of the Sri Lanka Air Force volleyball team and he had excelled at athletics and football too. Even my grandfather was a national-level athlete.
How was the support from your family to proceed with your journey?
No words can ever describe that tremendous support. Both of my parents have been by my side since the beginning. They have always been supportive to my sports endeavors. They taught me the way to deal with victories and losses in any situation. My father was my first unofficial table tennis coach. To be honest, he has been my biggest supporter in every sense. Since the first day of my first tournament, my mother had been there by my side all the time, cheering me on. She taught me the secret to balancing the work and getting everything done at its best. It is indeed a blessing to have them.
What are your most remarkable achievements so far?
I have many remarkable achievements. Out of them, winning a Junior South Asian Games medal was one of my proudest accomplishments. Other than that, representing the Sri Lanka Table Tennis team since age 14 at the World Championship, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and South Asian Games several times are unforgettable. At the junior level, I was able to bring glory to our motherland by winning several gold and silver medals continuously from 2013 to 2017. Apart from them, one of my fondest memories is of representing my motherland as a captain of the Sri Lankan school team.
What sort of challenges did you face in your sports career?
Definitely, balancing sports and studies properly was the biggest challenge.
For instance, I had to participate in the national tournament day before my O/L examination as well as a foreign tournament a month before. I had no option to miss anything, so I managed to balance everything well.
On the other hand, I have some breathing issues and I am a person with a kind of small build. However, without taking them as threats and weaknesses, I tried to manage them all.
How do you practice to balance both academics and sports?
The most important thing is to identify our strengths and weaknesses, and then allocate time for the most important things at that time. Make the priority list in your head, stick with that and create daily goals to achieve. Take everything as your very own job. Then, everything will automatically happen smoothly.
What do you think about the reluctance among girls to join sports, especially at the university level?
As Sri Lankans, we are all aware that there are some cultural barriers for women. Apart from that, most girls do not like to step outside of their comfort zones, preferring to study and focus solely on academics, resulting in a high GPA. Because this is the era for women, I believe that all of you should come out and break down every barrier to become excellent female athletes.
Is it worth it for someone new to sports to start doing a sport even with this heavy academic stress in university?
Of course, sports cannot be compared with academics. We will not be able to gain those experiences in our lives only by doing academics.
We are responsible for building up our personality and education adds value to that. In my case, I am more productive when I have a full-packed schedule. So individually, we must identify the way we should balance everything. At the end of the day, the satisfaction you get is priceless.
What do you have to say to a newcomer to a sport at the university level?
This is one of the most important opportunities that you may never have another chance to seize. Even if you have never participated in sports before, you can become a well-balanced person both mentally and physically. You will have many opportunities to represent your university at SLUG and world university games, and this is an open invitation to all of them.
So don't hesitate. Just take that step to collect more happy memories and seize the opportunities to create your distinct personality.
How do you think beginners can improve themselves to become good players at the university level?
I believe they should work hard and maintain a proper balance of academics and sports. One of the many things I have realized by doing sports for a long time is that one who balances academics and sports can be successful in anything.
You have to be the hardest workers on and off the field, and you should focus on everything you do during practices. Outside knowledge gained from global-level sports tournaments and world-class athletes may also assist you in becoming a successful athlete at this level.
As you think, which areas in university sports need to be changed?
To be honest, other than cricket, the place and the value given to sports personalities by Sri Lankans is at a sad level. Nobody is there to look after them once they stop playing sports. It may directly affect the university level as well. If the value of sports is understood by society, everything could change.
Change may happen in various means. People could engage more in sports. Academics too could provide more benefits for athletes. In addition, I believe that universities should improve sports infrastructure and funding to get the most out of our university-based athletes.
Whom would you like to thank for helping you to be the talented table tennis player you are right now?
First and foremost, my parents are at the top. They are my pillars of strength. Another huge thanks go to my coaches from the start of my journey, as well as my personal coach, Mr. Nuwan Sampath Silva. Then, I need to thank my two schools, Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo, and Girls High School, as well as all my friends and relatives who helped me complete this voyage successfully. During my school days, I was abroad for months and my teachers at school were so understanding and supportive. They kept some exams on hold till I came back to Sri Lanka, and when I had residential practices, they sent me notes to prepare. I have no words to express my gratitude towards all of them.
Our heartfelt gratitude goes to Chamathsara for sharing these sincere and inspiring words with MoraSpirit, and we wish her all the very best to create a legendary name in the Sri Lankan sports arena.
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