Tharushi should target Olympic medal in 2028, not in Paris 2024: SLA Secretary

Sri Lanka Athletic (SLA) General Secretary Saman Kumara Gunawardena says that an Olympic medal should be expected from Asian 'Golden Girl' Tharushi Karunarathna in Sri Lankan athletics, not in the 2024 Paris Olympics but in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

"As Tharushi, who is currently 18 years old, should give priority to her education in the future, apart from 2024 Paris Olympics Games participation, no medal is expected from her," Gunawardena, SLA and South Asia's Athletic Statistics Veteran and Director of Sports, University of Kelaniya for more than three decades, told 'Daily Mirror'.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan team, including Hangzhou Asian Games 800m Golden Girl Tharushi, is scheduled to arrive in Colombo from China Tuesday (October 10).

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Sri Lanka's 14-member Athletic Squad won one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals and managed to finish in 8th place in the Hangzhou Athletic Medal tally. The entire Sri Lanka contingent comprised 96 athletes from 21 sports.

"Tharushi won the Asian Games Gold Medal, and it was learned that several foreign universities have offered to award international scholarships. We should appreciate that. But Tharushi's next major challenge should be to pass the A/L exam in Sri Lanka. Aside from education at a young age, we can tell from the experience of many people who chased medals and money. Therefore, first she should complete her education successfully and get qualified for local university education. Secondly, she can go for an Olympic medal in 2028 with international training," Gunawardena pointed out.

In 2024, Tharushi's main challenge in the Sri Lankan sports field will be to get qualification for the Paris Olympics. The Olympic athletic qualification period is designated from June 1, 2023, to July 31, 2024. No one has qualified for that in any sport in Sri Lanka so far.

The Olympic 800m women's entry standard has been announced by the IAAF as 1 minute, 59.30 seconds. Tharushi's personal best time in the event is 2:00.66. Therefore, she has to make a strong effort to qualify for the Olympics in the future.

"It is difficult to expect a medal from Tharushi in the Paris Olympics in the face of the main challenges of giving priority to education and being qualified for Olympic entry, but Tharushi's age will be 23 by 2028. Therefore, Tharushi can go for a medal in the 2028 Olympics after finishing her education," Gunawardena said.

Susanta Fernando, an experienced coach who has introduced many athletes at the international level, is Tharushi's coach, and he said that he is confident that she will go on to win an Olympic medal.

The last Sri Lankan to win an Olympic medal was Susanthika Jayasinghe at the 2000 Sydney Games.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Cricket has decided to offer LKR 10 million for Tharushi's achievement, while the Ministry of Sports is offering LKR 15 million. (Susil Premalal / Pix: AFP)