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by Dinesh Weerawansa

Over Rs. ten million is required to send the Sri Lanka contingent for next month's Asian Games in South Korea, according to the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Sri Lanka. This will be apart from the finances needed to send a 25-member Sri Lanka rugby team, which will compete in both seven-a-side and 15-a-side tournaments of the Asian Games.

The huge sum of money needed to meet the finances of the touring Sri Lanka contingent will be shared by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and the NOC. Despite spending an equally considerable amount to fund the Sri Lanka contingent for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester recently, Sri Lanka will make every effort to field a strong contingent for the 14th Asian Games in Busan, Korea from September 29 to October 14.

The NOC has identified ten disciplines, in which Sri Lanka could field teams considering the local standards. Athletics is the only medal prospect sport for Sri Lanka at the Asian Games while there is an outside chance for a bronze medal in 15-a-side rugby.

A 19-member athletic team, including three officials, has already been named for the Asian Games. Sri Lanka is set to field two competitors each in badminton and boxing too, though no final decision has been taken on the composition of the Sri Lanka contingent, other than athletics. The main problem of finance concerns the rugby team, which would number nearly 30, if they compete in both 15-a-side and seven-a-side tournaments.

Even if Sri Lanka competes only in 15s, they would still have 23 members in the Lankan contingent. Hence, they would well be asked to compete in both forms of rugby, while giving priority to 15s.

Sri Lanka, along with Japan, Korea and Taiwan will be competing at the 15-a-side rugby at Asian Games.

Hence, Sri Lanka stands a good chance of winning the bronze, if they beat Taiwan, which they have done before. Both Sri Lanka and Taiwan look equal on paper and a close contest is expected when the two teams clash for a possible bronze medal.

Meanwhile, the Asian Games torch relay in Sri Lanka will be held in Colombo on September 5. The local version of the Asian Games torch relay will start from Gangaramaya, Hunupitiya in Colombo 2 on September 5 and will arrive at the Torrington square after covering the city. At a special function to be held at Torrington, the Asian Games torch would be handed over to the Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, Johnston Fernando by the South Korean Ambassador in Sri Lanka. Minister Fernando would then hand over the torch to NOC President Hemasiri Fernando. The Asian Games torch would then make its way to the NOC headquarters at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, where it would be kept until the Lankan contingent departs to Korea. The Asian Games organisers have already sent a tiny 'safety lamp' to take the flame to Busan, along with the Sri Lanka contingent.

Sri Lanka will be looking forward to win around seven medals in athletics, including the sprint double which Olympic medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe is eyeing. Among the Lankan medal prospects in athletics are Jayasinghe, Damayanthi Darsha, Sugath Tillakaratne, Sriyani Kulawansa, Rohan Pradeep Kumara and Manjula Kumara Wijesekera.

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