Islanders cross the sea for inspiration

Like Percy, he goes to every international event where his team is playing. Even this time, he flew down from Dubai. And he is not the only man who stands out. Besides Weerasinghe at 73, teammate KH Sirisoma, 50, is the dimunitive national champion. Incidentally, referee Deepalji Daluwatte is also the oldest referee in the championship having adjudicated in more than 30 international tournaments. The rest are also in their middle ages.

Not a healthy sign of progress for a country, which got its only world champion way back in 1973 though MJM Lafir. ‘‘Since then we have been plagued by the war,’’ reasons Daluwatte. ‘‘War is the reason the game has never been able to spread its wings beyond four districts out of the 22 in the county.’’

But now things look promising, they all assure. ‘‘The game is being taken up in nearly 600 schools and tables are being provided,’’ says Perera. But he looks to India as the best way to improve the game’s standard. ‘‘Since the 1970s, football teams from Mysore, Kerala and the Indian Railways used to come and play in Lanka and now both countries are neck and neck in the world rankings despite the vast potential of your country,’’ he says as a case in point suggesting that players like Geet Sethi and Pankaj Advani could be invited to play exhibition matches there.

70 plus: Unfinished break

Players of his age would prefer to call it a day or, at best, take up coaching. But the 73-year-old WAJ Weerasinghe still wants to be at the top. Here to participate in the Asian billiards championship, the Sri Lankan on Sunday gave in to the whims of Indian ace Pankaj Advani.

Though the battle lasted for a short duration with the 19-year-old Indian wrapping it up in three frames, Weerasinghe managed to prove a point. ‘‘Age is not a barrier but what matters is your keenness,’’ he says, adding, ‘‘others will take a lesson from me, so I never give up. In fact, the game has helped me keeping fit.’’

Ranked No. 2 at home, his passion for billiards has kept Weerasinghe going. Weerasinghe took to the sport after drawing inspiration from MJM Lafir, who clinched the world title in 1973. His first major achievement came in 1968 when, at the age of 37, he qualified for the Lanka Plate Billiards championship.

— Tapan K Mohanta