Sri Lankan table tennis has reached a historic high as Taavi Samaraweera, a schoolboy from S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia, officially claimed the World No. 1 position in the latest ITTF Under-11 Boys’ Rankings.
This remarkable achievement marks the first time in history that a Sri Lankan player—across any age group or gender—has reached the top of the world rankings in table tennis, placing the island nation firmly on the global map.
Taavi sealed his rise to the summit following a sensational gold-medal triumph at the WTT Youth Contender in Lignano, Italy, where he became Sri Lanka’s first-ever World Youth Champion in the sport.
Adding to his growing list of accolades, Taavi was earlier this year named “Most Outstanding Sports Achiever of the Year” at S. Thomas’ College, making him one of the youngest recipients of the honour in the school’s distinguished history.
Taavi Samaraweera’s extraordinary journey is not only a personal triumph but a moment of immense pride for Sri Lankan sport, inspiring a new generation of young athletes to dream big on the world stage.