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by Dinesh Weerawansa

Olympic medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe added yet another gold to her ever growing collection of medals when she finished first in women's 200m at the Super Meet 2002 Grand Prix meeting in Yokohama, Japan yesterday.

Taking part in her second IAAF ratified Grand Prix meeting in Japan yesterday, the Lankan sprint queen Jayasinghe secured the first place without much challenge. Once again, Jayasinghe ran a 22-under in her pet event to bag the gold medal - 22.91 seconds in the 200m dash. What is more important in Jayasinghe's win was that she was able to push her Ukrainian rival - Zahana Pintusevich to the second spot with 23.32 seconds. Pintusevich, who won the gold medal when Jayasinghe bagged the silver at the 1997 IAAF World Championships in Athens, Greece, was comprehensively beaten by the Lankan sprinter. Italian Manuela Levorato secured the third place bronze with a timing of 23.51 seconds.

It was a morale boosting win as the Ukrainian lass Pintusevich has been going great guns in recent times, including a memorable win over Olympic medallist and World No.1 Marion Jones of the USA. Jayasinghe said that it was nice to win before the World Cup meeting in Spain this weekend. "I feel great to win once again in Japan. This will be a morale booster for my lead up for the World Cup and the Asian Games," she said in a telephone conversation after her triumph. It was the second Grand Prix win for Jayasinghe in Japan this year, having won women's 100m and 200m gold medals at the IAAF Grand Prix meeting in Osaka earlier this year.

The 26-year-old celebrated Lankan woman sprinter had the guidance of her American coach Tony Campbell during her stay in Japan. Jayasinghe said Campbell, the reputed American coach who guided the Lankan girl to win women's 200m bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, has drawn up her a complete training schedule which leads for the 14th Asian Games in Korea early this month. Jayasinghe will be looking forward to win two gold medals in women's 100m and 200m at the 44-nation Asian Games in Busan from September 29 to October 14.

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