XX COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2014 First batch leaves today for Glasgow
The first batch of the XX Commonwealth Games 2014 contingent -- three of the top officials from a total of 157 -- took wing to Glasgow yesterday. The three-member group includes Nishantha Piyasena, the Chef de Mission of the Sri Lankan contingent and two of the General Team Managers Deva Henry and Gamini Jayasinghe. The three officials will attend the Delegate Registration Meeting to be held at the Games Village in Glasgow today. The remaining members of the group, which includes 114 athletes and 41 officials, will leave the island on Wednesday.
The Sri Lankan contingent will be officially welcomed by the hosts on July 21 prior to the Opening Ceremony which will be held on July 23. According to Piyasena, all arrangements have been placed accordingly with the final approval of the touring party getting the green light from the Ministry of Sports.
Selections made by the respective governing bodies of badmin- ton and table tennis were subjected to heavy criticism following certain choices made by them. But Piyasena stated that all pending matters have been resolved.
“The National Olympic Committee ( NOC) becomes a third party when it comes to selections. It’s the responsibility of the respective Associations and Federations to make proper selections and forward their lists to the National Selection Committee.” Piyasena said.
The National Selection Committee (NSC) headed by Air Marshall Kolitha Gunatillake comprising five members in total, has the power to do changes in selections if reported of favouritism or improper selections. There were many instances when the selections were changed by the NSC in the past. The final approval has to be made by the Minister of Sports.
The touring group however does not include a Lady Chaperon in charge of the 34 female athletes from the total 114 in the contingent. Piyasena elaborated that Commonwealth Games does not have an accredited position for a Lady Chaperon unlike other international events.
“But we have a female official though not declared in the official list. She is included as an Administrative Assistant and she will be in charge of the girls on tour,” he added.
Sri Lanka will compete under 16 different sports disciplines in the 12-day event which comes to a close on August 3. The Sri Lankan contingent will return on August 4.
Swimming: Kimiko Raheem, Nadeera Jayasekara, Cherantha de Silva, Heshan Unamboowe.
Athletics: Nadeeka Lakmali, Chandrika Subhashini, W.L.A Nimali, Christine Merrill, Manjula Kumara, Chanaka Madushan, Kasun Kalhara Seneviratne, Anjana Gunaratne, Kalinga Kumarage.
Badminton: Thilini Handehewa, Achini Ratnasiri, Upuli Samanthika, Madushika Dilrukshi, Nadeesha Gayanthi, Niluka Karunaratne, Dinuka Karunaratne, Buwaneka Dullewa, Sachin Dias.
Boxing: Anusha Kodituwakku, Keshani Kasturiarachchi, Shiromali Weeraratne, Anuruddha Rat- nayake, Dushan Saparamadu, Dilshan Yoonus, Manju Wanniarachchi, Eranga Madushan, Ruwan Nawaratne, Dinesh Maduranga.
Cycling: Sriyantha Wickramasinghe, Dinesha Dilrukshi, Buddhika Warnakulasuriya, Manjula Silva.
Gymnastic: Ridma Gunathilaka, Sachini Perera, Tilanka Abeygunawardena, Tharindu Kumara, Dilshan Kavin.
Judo: Sachini Kaushalya, Yashodara Wijewardana, Sanjaya Kumara, Chamara Nuwan.
Rugby: Richard Dharmapala, Shenal Dias, Sudarshana Muthuthanthri, Yoshitha Rajapaksa, Shehan Pathirana, Dinusha Chathuranga, Srinath Sooriyabandara, Fazil Marija, Anuruddha Wilvara, Sandun Herath, Mithun Hapugoda, Danushka Ranjan.
Shooting: Ruwini Abeymanna, Amali Kulatunga, Praneeta Vasudevan, Jessica Gamage, Udeshika Erandi, Suranga Fernando, E.M. Ekanayake, Prasad Perera, Yamith Kodikara, Mangala Samarakoon, Priyantha Siriwardana.
Squash: Nadini Udangawe, Mihiliya Methsarani, Naduni Guna- wardane, Dilshan Gunawardane, Gihan Suwaris, Ravindu Laksiri.
Table tennis: Ishara Madurangi, Erandi Warusavithana, Hansani Piyumala, Chamathsara Fernando, Rohan Sirisena, Udaya Ranasinghe, Dinesh Silva, Bandara Jayasinghe.
Weightlifting: Chamari Mendis, Thilanka Kumara, Sangeeth Wijesuriya, Indika Dissanayake, Anton Peiris, Chinthana Vidanage, Nawendra Dayan, Romesh Samarasekara, Shanaka Peters.
Wrestling: Gayan Chathuranga, Chamara Perera, Udara Fernando, Lasantha Priyankara, Kushan Fernando, Kelum Fernando, Manjula Albert.
Para Sports: G.A. Wesley, M. Chandrasena, Amila Kumarasiri, Sandun Perera, Jayasinghe Ratnayake.
Officials: Nishantha Piyasena ( Chef de Mission), Deva Henry ( General Team Manager), Gamini Jayasinghe ( General Team Manager), Indika Abeywickrama ( General Team Manager), Lal Ekanayake (Team Doctor), Charith Withanage (Physiotherapist), Manjula Pradeep ( Masseur), Up- ul Bandara (Masseur), Mark Reid (Physiotherapist), Sadisi Nirasha ( Admin Staff), Yogananda Wijesundera, A. J. Rodrigo, Sunil Gunawardena ( Athletics Coaches), Junian Bolling (Swimming Coach), Sankara Annamalai, Peter Higman ( Badminton Coaches), Harsha Kumara, Dian Gomes, Jorge Matos, Aubrey Peiris, Wasantha Kumara ( Boxing Coaches), Sujeevan Senaratne, Kamal Palitha (Cycling Coaches), Aruna Prasad, Ranjana Tharanga ( Gymnastics Coaches), Chandra Kumara ( Judo Coach), Stefano Cakau, Rohan Chinthaka (Rugby Coaches), C.H. Thalagala, Manoj de Silva (Squash Coaches), Shemal Fernando, Bandara Dasanayake, Priyashantha Perera ( Shooting Coaches), Mohamed Muthalib, Lalith Priyantha ( Table Tennis Coaches), Ajith Thamel, R. M. Wickramasinghe, Athula Eranga ( Weightlifting Coaches), Neville Pathmasiri, Shanthilal Obeysekara, Jagath Proyantha ( Wrestling Coaches), Wijesiri Bandara, Anura Dasanayake, Bandula Bandara ( Para Sports Coaches).