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by Dinesh Weerawansa

It will be a day full of field events when the fourth day's schedule of the X1Vth Asian Athletic Championship works off at the Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo tomorrow (Sunday). Of the 11 gold medals to be decided in 11 finals tomorrow, six will be in field events.

Hosts Sri Lanka will face a tough task as China, India and Japan are set to dominate in the field events. Nevertheless, Sri Lanka could keep their medal dream alive in several events, including women's 100m hurdles final.

Tomorrow's action would commence as early as 7 a.m with women's 20km walk final. This will be follwed by the first event of the men's decathlon - 100m at 9 a.m. At the same time, women's javelin throw final too would commence on the field. A total of 36 sprinters, including Sri Lanka's Suminda Mendis, Prasanna Amarasekera and Joy Danushka Perera, will face starter's orders in the men's 200m first round heats to be worked off from 9.45 a.m. It is a pity that the bronze medallist of the last Asian Games - Sugath Tillakaratne ,is missing from the line up. Men's 200m will be a tough one for the hosts and their three competitors will find it hard even to find a place in the final.

But Amarasekera has done well in recent times and he is determined to make his presence felt, though he is placed 20th in the best entry timing list, which is headed by Oman's A.D.Hammod - 20.25 seconds. Among the sprinters who should make a strong claim for a medal are Omae Yusuke (Japan - 20.29), Chang Po Chin (Taiwan), Al Yami Saleem (Saudi Arabia) and Alshammari Fawzi (Kuwait).

Tomorrow's morning session would end after men's decathlon third event (shot putt) at 11 a.m.

After a five hour break, the afternoon session would commence at 4 p.m. with men's shot putt final, followed by two other field event finals - women's triple jump and men's pole vault. Commonwealth Games silver medallist and former Asian Championship gold medallist, Sriyani Kulawansa is due to run for Sri Lanka in women's 100m hurdles final lined up for 4 p.m. as the first track event for the evening. There will be three other track finals - men's 110m hurdles, women's 1,500m and men's 1,500m.

Sri Lanka captain Susanthika Jayasinghe will be seen in action in women's 200m semi finals, which starts at 5.15 p.m. tomorrow. Unfortunately compatriot Damayanthi Darsha, the last Asian Games gold medallist, has withdrawn from this event due to a hamstring injury and will be replaced by Jani Chathurangani.

Will Sri Lanka be able to defend the men's 4 x 400m relay gold medal they won at the last Asian Championship in Jakarta two years ago? It will be a tough question to answer considering their form at the recent Commonwealth Games. Nevetheless, Sugath Tillakaratne-led Sri Lanka men's 4 x 400m quartet is determined to do well as the first round heats of the same are due to bring an end to tomorrow's schedule at 7 p.m.

Tomorrow's Competition Schedule:

DAY THREE - August 11 7 am - 20k Walk women final
9 am - 100m men Decathlon -1
9 am - Javelin Throw women final
9.45 am - 200m men Heats
9.45 am - Long jump men Decathlon - 2
11 am - Shot putt men Decathlon -3
4 pm - Shot putt men final
4 pm - Triple jump women final
4 pm - Pole vault men final
4 pm - High jump men Decathlon - 4
4 pm - 100m hurdles women final
4.20 pm - 110m hurdles men final
4.40 pm - 1,500m women final
4.55 pm - 1,500m men final
5.15 pm - 200m women semi final
5.35 pm - 200m men semi final
5.35 pm - Triple jump men final
5.35 pm - Javelin throw men final
5.55pm - 800m men semi final
6.10 pm - 800m women semi final
6.30 pm - 400m men Decathlon - 5
7 pm - 4 x 400m relay men heats

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