Sri Lanka holds high hopes for Paris 2024

From left: Pradeep Somasiri, Anil Jayalath, Janani Dhananjana, Palitha Bandara, Nuwan Indika, Samitha Dulan, Naveed Raheem and Suresh Dharmasena   

By Susil Premalal   

Sri Lanka will be looking to produce their best performance when the 2024 Paris Paralympics Games gets underway at the Place De la Concorde Main Stadium in France tomorrow.   

Over 100 competitors from the seven South Asian countries will join the rest of the competitors in this meet, at 18 different venues from August 28 to September 8.   

The ultimate goal of the Sri Lankan Para Athletes is to reach the final round of their respective events and to finish with their personal best performances.   

Sri Lanka have won one Gold Medal and three Bronze Medals in the Paralympics Games history. Over 4,400 athletes representing 168 International Paralympics Committee affiliated National Paralympic Committees are set to participate at this meet in 22 sports and 549 events.  

India (84), Sri Lanka (8), Nepal (3), Maldives (2), Bangladesh (2), Pakistan (1) and Bhutan (1) will be vying for honours from the South Asian region.   

2020 Tokyo Paralympics Games Bronze Medallist Samitha Dulan will lead the Sri Lankan contingent, which includes six athletes, one swimmer and one wheelchair tennis player.   

At the 2012 Paralympics Games in London, Sri Lanka won their first Paralympics medal through Pradeep Sanjaya, who won the Bronze Medal in the Men’s 400m T46 event.   

At the 2016 Summer Paralympics Games in Rio de Janeiro, Sri Lanka won a Bronze Medal as Dinesh Priyantha Herath was placed third in the Men’s javelin throw F46 final.  

At the 2020 Summer Paralympics Games in Tokyo, Sri Lanka won its first ever Paralympics Gold Medal, with Dinesh Priyantha Herath taking Gold in the Men’s javelin throw F46 category, setting a new F46 world and Paralympics record of 67.79m.   

Dulan Kodithuwakku also claimed the Bronze Medal in the Men’s javelin throw F64 category at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, with 65.61m.   

The Sri Lanka Paralympics Squad - Athletics: Samitha Dulan (Men’s F-44 javelin throw), Nuwan Indika (Men’s T-44 100m), Pradeep Somasiri (Men’s T-46 1,500m), Palitha Bandara (Men’s F-42 shot put), Prasanna Jayalath (Men’s T-42 100m) and Janani Dhananjaya (Women’s T-47 long jump). Swimming: Naveed Rasheen (Men’s S-9 400m freestyle). Wheelchair tennis: Suresh Dharmasena (Men’s Open Singles).