Gayanthika Abeyratne
by Susil Premalal
Sri Lanka team captain and middle-distance runner Gayanthika Abeyrathna and Dilhani Lekamge won bronze medals on the first day of the 25th Asian Senior Athletics Championship 2023 held at the National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand yesterday.
A 13-member Sri Lanka team is taking part in the four-day Championship conducted by the Asian Athletic Association (AAA).
Veteran international athlete Gayanthika Abeyrathna clocked 4 minutes 14.39 seconds to clinch third place in the 1500m final.
The gold medal was won by Nozomi Tanaka (4:06.75) and silver by Yome Goto (4:13.25) both of Japan.
Dilhani Lekamge threw a distance of 60.93m to clinch the bronze medal in the Women’s Javelin throw.
Japan’s Marina Saito (61.67m) won the gold medal and China’s Liu Shiying (61.51m) the silver medal.
Aruna Dharshana (45.79 seconds) and Rajitha Rajakaruna (46.12) qualified for the 400m Men’s Final and Nadeesha Ramanayake (53.06) the 400m Women’s Final.
The 400m Men and Women Finals is today (July 13).
Randi Cooray finished sixth in the Women’s triple jump.
