Dhanika’s first for Sri Lanka Sailing

Dhanika Nanayakkara (third from left) felicitated by the Sports Minister and Officials

A youngster 16 years of age Dhanika  Nanayakkara put Sri Lanka on the sailing map winning a bronze medal at the  3rd Chief of Air Staff International Sailing Championship 2022 in Karachchi,  Palistan recently. 

This ever medal won by a Lankan in  the Laser Event. 

In another first for Sri Lanka,  Nanayakkara became the first Thomian and Sri Lankan to be placed at the  International Optimist Dinghy Association Championship held in Oman 2019 finished  third place (bronze) in the Silver Fleet. 

Nanayakkara is the youngest Sailing  National Champion in the Optimist class, winning in 2018 and 2019, the Laser  4.7 class (2021) and finished third in the Laser Radial class in 2021.
His dream is participating and  representing Sri Lanka at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China 2022 at the  Ningbo Sailing Centre, this year in September.

Throughout his sailing journey, he  has been supported primarily by the National Sailing Coach Krishan Janaka  along with the President of the Yachting Association of Sri Lanka(YASL) and  Vice President National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka and officials of the  Sri Lanka Navy.