POOL TRAINING FOR ATHLETICS WILL COMMENCE IN JANUARY

Both pools are targeting four international athletics championships There are 20 in the Youth Pool with 17 coaches

The Athletics Association of Sri Lanka has decided that the National and Youth Athletics Pool will commence training from the first week of January 2019. Both pools are targeting four international athletics championships.they are: Third Asian Youth Athletics Championships in Hong Kong from March 15 to 17. The 23rd Asian Senior Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar from April 21 to 24. The other is the 17th World Athletics Championships also in Doha Qatar from September 27 to October 6 and the South Asian Games in Kathmandu, Nepal no date has been fixed for the event. The meet was originally planned for March 9 to 18.

There are 20 in the Youth Pool with 17 coaches. There are 11 male athletes and nine females.

The Senior Pool has been dissolved from September. The Youth first selection will be on January 19. The Seniors first selection will be on February 22 and 24 (not on February 23).

There is no National Coach appointed at the moment. Applications have been called and three have been interviewed. At the time of writing Sunil Gunewardena Sri Lanka’s Number One Sprint Coach, is currently heading the list.

At the Asian Youth Championship held in Bangkok in 2017 Sri Lanka won a Silver and a Bronze Medal. Harsha Dissanayake won the Silver in the 1500 Metres. Navodya Sankalpa wonthe Bronze in the 400 Metres Hurdles event.

In the Asian Championships History has won 19 Gold, 14 Silver and 19 Bronze. The last edition took place in India where Sri Lanka won one Gold and four Silver. The Gold Medal was won by Nimali Liyanarachchi in the 800 Metres. The four Silver Medals were won by Rumeshika Ratnayake (200 Metres).gayanthika Abeyratne (800 Metres),dilhani Lekamge (Javelin) and 4X400 Men’s Team.

Major General Palitha Fernando, President, Athletics Association of Sri Lanka said that they are hoping to field 10 to 12 athletes for the Asian Youth and for the Asian Senior 15 to 20 athletes.

The plan was to start training from last September but the Sports Ministry had insisted that they start training from January 2019.