Sri Lankan Table Tennis Star Tavi Samaraweera Wins Second Consecutive European Gold in Slovakia

Sri Lankan junior table tennis player Tavi Samaraweera has secured another gold medal, winning the Under-11 Boys' Singles title at the WTT Youth Contender Slovakia 2026 tournament held in Senec, Slovakia.

The victory follows his recent gold medal triumph in Italy, marking back-to-back European gold medal successes for the young Sri Lankan player.

Samaraweera delivered an impressive performance throughout the tournament. He defeated Ukraine's top-ranked player 3–1 in the quarter-finals before overcoming a Moldovan opponent 3–0 in the semi-finals.

In the final, he defeated Slovakia's top-ranked player 3–1 to claim the gold medal.

This marks Samaraweera's seventh gold medal in the Under-11 category at World Table Tennis (WTT) youth tournaments.

He has also achieved another notable milestone by reaching 15 Under-11 Boys' Singles finals at WTT youth tournaments since last year.

In addition to his success in the Under-11 category, Samaraweera also performed well in the Under-13 event, reaching the last 16.

In 2026, he reached the world No. 1 position in the Under-11 world rankings. He has also maintained a place among the world's top four players in the category for nearly two years.

His latest achievement further highlights his consistency and competitiveness on the international stage, bringing another moment of pride to Sri Lanka.