ARMY ATHLETICS & SPORTSMANSHIP REACHES NEW HEIGHTS
Since the day Duncan White won the Silver Medal in 400m in 1948 Olympics, members of the Sri Lanka Army have been flying the lion flag high in the international arena of sports, considering it as one of their prime assignments. To this date, the Army has made a name for itself by producing the best sets of athletes and sportsmen to the country both at national and international levels. It was the Army, which collected the most number of medals at the South Asian Games (SAG) last year.
Considering most recent gains, a total of 50 plus Army sportsmen and women competed in the SAG representing Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka bagged 40 Gold Medals, 83 Silver Medals and 128 Bronze Medals and emerged the third place with a total tally of 251 medals as it ended. 85 medals, out of the 251 medals were bagged by Army athletes in the SAG, indeed a new record for Sri Lanka.
It is also worthwhile to mention here the Army’s contribution to the growth of Sri Lankan cricket in the past couple of years by producing world-class batsmen and players who brought fame to the organization and the country alike.
It is equally significant to note here that female Army athletes too competing in, Karate, Weight-lifting, Swimming, Tae-kwando, Wushu, Table Tennis, Cycling, Volleyball, Badminton, Handball, Archery, Shooting, Wrestling, Judo, etc. Meanwhile, they proved their athletic prowess by collecting more and more medals in Track events, Rifle Shooting, Baseball, Bodybuilding, Kabaddi, Weight Lifting and Power Lifting, etc More recently, Yupun Abeykoon; Sri Lankan sprinter has set a new national and South Asian record in the men’s 100m event, in the meet held in Dessau, Germany with a sizzling record of 10.16 seconds.
The Army’s contribution to Sri Lanka sports and athletics, no doubt would grow from strength to strength in the coming years in the world map of sports and atletics.
Considering most recent gains, a total of 50 plus Army sportsmen and women competed in the SAG representing Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka bagged 40 Gold Medals, 83 Silver Medals and 128 Bronze Medals and emerged the third place with a total tally of 251 medals as it ended. 85 medals, out of the 251 medals were bagged by Army athletes in the SAG, indeed a new record for Sri Lanka.