Wednesday Nov 11, 2026
Wednesday Nov 11, 2026
Saturday, 17 October 2026 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Walimuniga Munidasa (left) and Dinesh Deshapriya
Sri Lankan para table tennis players Dinesh Deshapriya and Walimunige Munidasa will return to action on Saturday (October 17), as they continue their campaigns at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, seeking to build on their opening-match experiences against challenging opponents.
Both players faced demanding tests in their first group-stage matches, with Deshapriya pushing his Chinese opponent, Yaqing Zhho, to five sets before suffering a narrow 3–2 defeat, while Munidasa went down 3–0 to Japan’s Genki Saito in the men’s wheelchair table tennis competition.
Deshapriya produced a determined performance against Yaqing, demonstrating his fighting spirit in a closely contested encounter. Despite falling short of victory, the Sri Lankan managed to take the match to five sets, underlining his ability to challenge a strong opponent on the continental stage.
The narrow defeat will provide Deshapriya with valuable lessons as he prepares for his second group-stage encounter. He is scheduled to meet Hong Kong’s Ka Sin Ho at 5.35 p.m. local time in Japan (2.35 p.m. Sri Lanka time) today.
Meanwhile, Munidasa will face Indonesia’s Yayang Gunaya at 5.00 p.m. local time in Japan (2.00 p.m. Sri Lanka time) in his second group-stage match.
Munidasa, making his debut at the Asian Para Games, faced a difficult opening challenge against Japan’s Genki Saito. Although he was unable to secure a set in that encounter, the match offered him valuable international exposure and an opportunity to experience the intensity of competition at one of Asia’s major multi-sport events.
Facing experienced opponents at this level presents a considerable challenge for both Sri Lankan representatives. However, their participation provides an important opportunity to gain experience, test their abilities and continue developing their competitive performances against some of the region’s leading para table tennis players.
As they prepare for their respective second matches, Deshapriya and Munidasa will be looking to apply the lessons learned from their opening encounters and produce improved performances in the colours of Sri Lanka.
The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games bring together para athletes from across the continent, celebrating sporting excellence, resilience and determination. For Sri Lanka’s para table tennis representatives, the competition represents an opportunity to gain valuable experience at the international level while proudly representing their country on the Asian sporting stage. (HW)
