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Samitha Dulan (File photo)
By Susil Premalal
Sri Lanka added another medal to their tally when Samitha Dulan secured the Silver Medal in the Men’s javelin throw F64 final of the Fourth Asian Para Games, which continued in Hangzhou, China yesterday.
Dulan also produced a new Games record as he cleared 64.09m in his second attempt to finish in second place behind India’s Gold Medallist M. Sumit, who had the distinction of establishing a new world record, Asian record and a games record.
The 33-year-old athlete started his campaign for the title with an effort of 61.53m and went on to improve it to 64.09 during his record-breaking second attempt.
But thereafter, he failed to go beyond that distance as he touched 62.42m, 63.00m, 61.23m and 63.95m respectively.
This was Sri Lanka’s third medal at the Asian Para Games after Pradeep Somasiri and Nuwan Indika won a Gold Medal each in the Men’s 1,500m, T46 event and in the Men’s 100m T44 event respectively on the previous day.
Another Indian athlete Pushpendra Singh took the Bronze Medal with a performance of 62.06m.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s flag bearer and season campaigner Dinesh Priyantha Herath narrowly missed out on a medal as he settled for fourth place in the Men’s javelin throw F46 final.
Herath, who holds the World record, Asian record and the Asian Para record in this event, made a promising start with a performance of 62.83m in his first attempt.
However, he failed to keep the same momentum and was able to clear 59.89m, 62.55m, 62.57m and 60.34m during his remaining four attempts.
India made a clean sweep on the podium as Sundar Singh clinched the Gold Medal with a World record performance of 68.60m while M. Rinku took the Silver Medal with an effort of 67.08m and Ajeet Singh won the Bronze Medal with a performance of 63.62m. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka won the Silver Medal and the Bronze Medal in the Women’s long jump T47 with Janani Dhananjana and Kumudu Priyanka claiming second and third place respectively behind India’s Nimisha Suresh.
In addition, Palitha Bandara secured the Bronze Medal in the Men’s shot put F63 final with a personal best performance of 14.15m.
Sri Lankan shuttler Sanjeeva Perera was knocked out from the Men’s Singles pre-quarter-finals while competing in the para-badminton category SL4 event.
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