LANKA HOPES TO WIN FIVE MEDALS AT COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Athirteen member athletics team will represent Sri Lanka at the 21st. Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia from April 5 to 16. There are eight men, five women and five officials in the contingent. The Sri Lanka team is currently training in Australia. Sri Lanka has won three medals at the Commonwealth Games to date. They are Gold, Silver and Bronze. The Gold was won by Duncan White at the Auckland British Empire Games Commonwealth Games.

The Silver and Bronze was won at the Kulala Lumpur Commonwealth Games, Sriyani Kulawansa won the Silver in the 100M Hurdles event. The Bronze was annexed by Sugath Tillekeratne. In 22 years Sri Lanka has not won a medal in athletics events.

The standard at the Commonwaelth Games is very high but the Athletics Association of Sri Lanka is hoping to win five medals. They are: in Javelin (men and women), Marathon (women),4x100 Men and High Jump (Men).

The men’s team: Manjula Kumara Wijesekera (High Jump), Sampath Ranasinghe (Javelin), Vinoj Suranjaya De Silva (4X100 M), Himasha Ishan (4X100 M), Shehan Ambepitiya (4X100 M), Mohammed Ashrafu Ladeef (4X100 M), Sumesh Lakshitha Wickremasinghe (4X100 M), Janaka Prasad Wimalasiri (Long Jump).

The women’s team: Nimali Liyanarachchi (800 M), Gayanthika Abeyratne (800 M), Nadeesha Dilhani Lekamge (Javelin), Hiruni Wijeratne (Marathon) and Rumishika Ratnayake (200 M).

Officials: N.w.nimalsiri (Manager), Sunil Gunewardena (Coach Co-ordinator Relay Team), Miranda Ramriz Luis Coach (Middle Distance), Sajith Jayalal (Coach – Jumps) and Harshana Kingsley Gunatilleke (Coach – Javelin). The Sri Lanka team is currently training in Australia. Sri Lanka has won three medals at the Commonwealth Games to date. They are Gold, Silver and Bronze