Chanuki Kariyawasam and Taavi Samaraweera Win Double Silver at WTT Youth Contender Tbilisi

Sri Lanka’s young table tennis talents Chanuki Kariyawasam and Taavi Samaraweera delivered impressive performances at the WTT Youth Contender Tbilisi 2026 in Georgia, winning silver medals in the Under-13 Girls’ Singles and Under-11 Boys’ Singles respectively.

Held from September 27 to 30 in Tbilisi, the tournament featured young players from around 20 countries across the Under-11 to Under-19 age categories.

Chanuki Reaches U13 Girls’ Singles Final

Chanuki Kariyawasam produced a strong run in the Under-13 Girls’ Singles, advancing to the final and securing the silver medal.

The achievement marks an important international milestone for the young Sri Lankan player, who also competed alongside Taavi Samaraweera in the Under-15 Mixed Doubles, gaining valuable experience against players in an older age category.

Taavi Adds Another International Silver

Taavi Samaraweera continued his impressive 2026 campaign by reaching the Under-11 Boys’ Singles final and claiming another WTT Youth Contender silver medal.

Earlier this year, Taavi won four consecutive U11 WTT Youth Contender titles in Qatar, Bahrain, Kosovo and Slovenia, followed by a silver medal in Croatia.

In Tbilisi, he also competed in the Under-13 Boys’ Singles, reaching the semifinals. He defeated Azerbaijan’s Aliakbar Mirzaliyev 3–0 in the Round of 16 before overcoming Qatar’s Mubarak Al-Qutaiti 3–2 in the quarterfinals. His U13 campaign ended in the semifinal against Uzbekistan’s Khusen Iskandarov.

The double podium finish in Tbilisi highlights the growing presence of Sri Lanka’s young table tennis players on the international youth circuit.

Chanuki’s U13 silver and Taavi’s U11 silver provide valuable international experience as both youngsters continue their development and compete against emerging talent from across the world.