Eight athletes for Asian U-20 Athletic Championships

By Susil Premalal

Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) has decided to send eight athletes for the 20th Asian U-20 Athletic Championship 2023.

The tournament, conducted by the Asian Athletic Association (AAA), is scheduled to be held from June 4–7 in Yecheon, South Korea.

AAA says that 1,500 athletes from 45 countries in the Asian region, including Sri Lanka, will participate in the tournament.

The selected Sri Lankan team, consisting of four boys and four girls, accompanied by three officials, has been sent to the sports minister for approval.

Sri Lanka has won 30 medals from 1986 to 2018 in the Asian Athletic Junior Championship, comprising seven gold, 14 silver, and nine bronze, including three gold, four silver, and two bronze medals at the last edition in 2018. The gold medals were won by Aruna Dharshana (Boys 400m), Parami Wasanthi Maristella (Girls 3000m steeplechase), and the Boys 4x400m relay.

SLA is confident Sri Lanka will be able to win several medals in this tournament.

Sri Lanka squad:

Boys: M.J. Wijesinghe (Ananda College, Colombo) 100m, S.H.H. Dilranga (A. Rathnayaka MMV, Walala) 800m and 1500m, T.O. Ariyawansha (St. Aloysius College, Rathnapura) 400m Hurdles, K.A. Malith Yasiru (Kahawatta Central College, Kahawatta) triple jump

Girls: Dinara Bandara (Gateway College, Colombo) 100m, Tharushi Karunarathna (A. Rathnayaka MMV, Walala) 400m and 800m, M.H.J. Uththara (Holy Cross College, Gampaha) 400m, R. Pehansa Gamage (Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya) high jump

Officials: Indika Prasanna (Manager), Susantha Fernando (Coach), and Sunethra Karunarathne (Lady Chaperone).