Sri Lanka’s top athletes eye Olympic berth

athletics

By Susil Premalal   

Sri Lanka is confident that at least 10 athletes would reach the qualifying mark for the Paris Olympics 2024, Sri Lanka Athletic (SLA) Secretary Saman Kumara Gunawardena told the Daily Mirror yesterday.   

To fulfil that target SLA have already set up a High-Performance Athletic Pool comprising nine Men and 10 Women.   

Among those athletes from the High-Performance Pool the chances of qualifying are more on Yupun Abeykoon (100m Men), Tharushi Karunarathna (800m Women), Dilhani Lekamge (Javelin Throw Women), Gayanthika Abeyrathna (800m, 1500m Women), Kalinga Kumarage (400m Men), Aruna Dharshana (400m Men) and the 4x400m Mixed Relay Team.   
The deadline set by the IAAF to reach the qualifying mark for the Paris Olympics is June 30 2024.   

Meanwhile, Hangzhou Asian Games Gold Medalist Tharushi Karunarathna will spearhead the Sri Lankan 4X400m Women’s Relay Team at the World Relay Championships on March 4 and 5 in the Bahamas.   

This meet is also the final qualifying event for the athletes ahead of the Paris Olympic Games.   

Sri Lanka’s biggest Olympic prospect and Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bronze Medalist Abeykoon is set to begin his training in April and his goal is to run the 100m in under 10.00s before June 30.   

The Sri Lanka Athletic High-Performance Pool:

(Men’s): Yupun Abeykoon (100m ), Aruna Dharshana (400m, 4x400m and 4x400m, 4X400m Mixed Relay), Kalinga Kumarage (400m, 4x400m, 4x400m Mixed Relay), Rajitha Rajakaruna (4x400m, 4x400m Mixed Relay), Pabasara Niku (4x400m, 4x400m Mixed Relay), Pasindu Kodikara (4x400m), Dinuka Deshan (400m, 4x400m), Y. M. C. Yodasingha (100m), Janidu Lakvijaya (110m Hurdles).   

(Women’s): Nadeesha Ramanayake (400m, 4x400m, 4x400m Mixed Relay), Tharushi Karunarathna (400m, 4x400m, 4x400m Mixed Relay), Gayanthika Abeyrathna (800m, 1,500m), Dilhani Lekamge (Javelin Throw), Jayeshi Uththara (4x400m), Harshani Fernando (4x400m), Sayuri Mendis (4x400m), Sarangi Silva (Long Jump), Randi Cooray (Triple Jump), Rumeshika Rathnayaka (200m).