Top Asian athletes to participate in 100th Athletic Nationals

Sri Lanka Athletics President Maj. Gen. Palitha Fernando (rtd) speaking at the press conference. (from L - R) Denham Perera (Regional Head - Colombo SLT-Mobitel), SLA President, Kelum Kulatunga (Manager - Marketing SLT-Mobitel) and Prema Pinnawela (SLA General Secretary)   

By Susil Premalal

Top class athletes from South Asia and South East Asia will   take part in the Centenary Celebrations of Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) when the 100th Athletic National Championships is held from April 8 to 10 at the renovated Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Diyagama.

About 15 to 20 athletes from India, Maldives, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam have confirmed their participation, SLA President Maj. Gen. Palitha Fernando (rtd) said at a press conference held in Colombo.

The Nationals will serves as the final trial for the Commonwealth Games (July 28 to August 8) in Birmingham, England and Asian Games (September 10 to 25) in Hangzhou, China.
Sri Lanka is hoping to win more medals at the Asian Games than the Commonwealth Games, said the SLA President.
He added that they hope to send about 20 athletes for the Asian Games and win about five or six medals.
Although Sri Lanka is not hoping to win athletic medals at the Commonwealth Games, they hope to send at least five or six athletes.

After Japan and South Korea, the century-old Sri Lanka Athletic is the third oldest in Asia. It is the oldest association in South Asia and 40th in the world.

Sri Lanka is the only South Asian nation to win athletic medals in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, Asian Games, Asian Championships and South Asian Games. The historic occasion of the celebration of the athletic centenary in Sri Lanka will kick-off on April 7 in the presence of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at the BMICH at 10:00 a.m.

SLT-Mobitel has come forward to sponsor the Athletic Nationals.