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Two for one: How some of the oppositions countered their main obstacle at the recent Asian Championship in Singapore - Tharjini Sivalingam of Sri Lanka.[/caption]
By Revatha Silva
Born less than seven months before the outrageous Black July in 1983 and being troubled by the atrocious civil war through her entire youth living in Evinai at Punnalaikkadduvan in the Jaffna peninsula, just five kilometers away from the war-ravaged Palali Airport, Tharjini Sivalingam, daughter of a chili farmer in Jaffna, is now a national sporting icon.
That was not because she is as tall as just two inches short of seven feet. Tharjini, from her downtrodden background, has risen to the world stage as one of world’s best netball shooters.
She was one of the main orchestrators of Sri Lanka’s victory at the Asian Championship last week in Singapore when they sealed their supremacy in the region winning the title for the fifth time in 11 editions.
Once adjudged the best shooter in the world, Tharjini helped the country clinch the Asian title twice in ten years. Yet this Economics graduate from the Eastern University has had the most difficult time before representing the country since 2009, the very year the civil war came to an end in the North.
Following are excerpts from an interview “The Sunday Morning” did with Tharjini Sivalingam on Thursday, 13 September before her departure to Australia for a State competition in Melbourne, Victoria:
Did your origins in the Tamil mainland ever trouble you in your netball?
Never. In fact I was troubled more because of my extraordinary height, rather than because I am a Tamil. Both in Colombo and Jaffna, people used to make jokes on me when I walked on the streets. But the same people who looked at me so sarcastically because of my height are now coming to me to congratulate.
On your extraordinary height which is 2.08 metres, or 6 feet 10 inches
That was very much worrying me, and my family, in my entire youth. I started growing tall since I was 14. People used to make jokes about me. When I first came to Colombo, it was really tough. I used to wear the traditional dress which looked odd due to my height. But now things have changed. People know me well and are very friendly.
I have three elder brothers, one elder sister and one younger brother. Nobody in my family is so tall. Only my father’s younger brother is six-foot tall.
On your experience of living within a different community
Never in my career have I been intimidated because of my Tamil nationality. This time in Singapore, every time I scored, every supporter of ours cheered and encouraged me. I noticed in their faces that they were not worried at least a bit about the fact that I’m Tamil. I think they always took me as a Sri Lankan. We all felt as one.
Even when we’re here after our victory, this Tamil – Sinhala issue never cropped up. I give everything for my country. When you think about the country, the other differences do not actually matter. They do not even cross our mind.
When my netball friends visit our house in Jaffna, my parents really like it and treat them the best possible way. And my villagers found it difficult to understand that the Sinhalese people were so good. Most of the time they don’t have any possibility to associate with the Sinhala people and when they do, they change their whole attitude towards them.
How did the war affect you?
In 1994 when war began again, our house got damaged. It was situated within the High Security Zone surrounding the Palali Airport. Then after the last stage of the war broke out around 2005, we had to live with our relatives for over three years moving one place to another. Those days were really hard for us.
Having won the Asia Cup, what’ll be the next stop?
On Saturday (15 September) I will play in the final of an Australian state tournament representing a club called S. Lawrence in Geelong, Melbourne. This is the second stint of mine in Australia. I played for City West Falcons, Victoria earlier.
I could reach the world stage because of netball. So, I have to give back to the country. When I say country, I mean the entire country. Not only north and east. I try to get assistance from my friends in Australia for that. Some of them are world’s leading players. They will help me in coaching our young, talented players to carry the game forward.
Two for one: How some of the oppositions countered their main obstacle at the recent Asian Championship in Singapore - Tharjini Sivalingam of Sri Lanka.[/caption]
By Revatha Silva
Born less than seven months before the outrageous Black July in 1983 and being troubled by the atrocious civil war through her entire youth living in Evinai at Punnalaikkadduvan in the Jaffna peninsula, just five kilometers away from the war-ravaged Palali Airport, Tharjini Sivalingam, daughter of a chili farmer in Jaffna, is now a national sporting icon.
That was not because she is as tall as just two inches short of seven feet. Tharjini, from her downtrodden background, has risen to the world stage as one of world’s best netball shooters.
She was one of the main orchestrators of Sri Lanka’s victory at the Asian Championship last week in Singapore when they sealed their supremacy in the region winning the title for the fifth time in 11 editions.
Once adjudged the best shooter in the world, Tharjini helped the country clinch the Asian title twice in ten years. Yet this Economics graduate from the Eastern University has had the most difficult time before representing the country since 2009, the very year the civil war came to an end in the North.
Following are excerpts from an interview “The Sunday Morning” did with Tharjini Sivalingam on Thursday, 13 September before her departure to Australia for a State competition in Melbourne, Victoria:
Did your origins in the Tamil mainland ever trouble you in your netball?
Never. In fact I was troubled more because of my extraordinary height, rather than because I am a Tamil. Both in Colombo and Jaffna, people used to make jokes on me when I walked on the streets. But the same people who looked at me so sarcastically because of my height are now coming to me to congratulate.
On your extraordinary height which is 2.08 metres, or 6 feet 10 inches
That was very much worrying me, and my family, in my entire youth. I started growing tall since I was 14. People used to make jokes about me. When I first came to Colombo, it was really tough. I used to wear the traditional dress which looked odd due to my height. But now things have changed. People know me well and are very friendly.
I have three elder brothers, one elder sister and one younger brother. Nobody in my family is so tall. Only my father’s younger brother is six-foot tall.
On your experience of living within a different community
Never in my career have I been intimidated because of my Tamil nationality. This time in Singapore, every time I scored, every supporter of ours cheered and encouraged me. I noticed in their faces that they were not worried at least a bit about the fact that I’m Tamil. I think they always took me as a Sri Lankan. We all felt as one.
Even when we’re here after our victory, this Tamil – Sinhala issue never cropped up. I give everything for my country. When you think about the country, the other differences do not actually matter. They do not even cross our mind.
When my netball friends visit our house in Jaffna, my parents really like it and treat them the best possible way. And my villagers found it difficult to understand that the Sinhalese people were so good. Most of the time they don’t have any possibility to associate with the Sinhala people and when they do, they change their whole attitude towards them.
How did the war affect you?
In 1994 when war began again, our house got damaged. It was situated within the High Security Zone surrounding the Palali Airport. Then after the last stage of the war broke out around 2005, we had to live with our relatives for over three years moving one place to another. Those days were really hard for us.
Having won the Asia Cup, what’ll be the next stop?
On Saturday (15 September) I will play in the final of an Australian state tournament representing a club called S. Lawrence in Geelong, Melbourne. This is the second stint of mine in Australia. I played for City West Falcons, Victoria earlier.
I could reach the world stage because of netball. So, I have to give back to the country. When I say country, I mean the entire country. Not only north and east. I try to get assistance from my friends in Australia for that. Some of them are world’s leading players. They will help me in coaching our young, talented players to carry the game forward.