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By Dinesh Weerawansa

Sri Lanka has picked a strong 25-member team for the Asian Grand Prix Series meeting to be worked off in Colombo in June. Five Sri Lankans have qualified to compete in the entire four-leg second Asian Grand Prix Series while the balance 20 will only compete in the Colombo meet as a special allocation to the host nation.

On the performance of the recent Asian Games, Asian Championship and last year's inaugural Asian Grand Prix Series, five Lankans have qualified to compete in all four meets of the 2003 Series. They are Susanthika Jayasinghe (women's 100m), Damayanthi Darsha (women's 400m), Sugath Tillakaratne (men's 400m), Rohan Pradeep Kumara (men's 400m), Sriyani Kulawansa-Fonseka (women's 100m hurdles). The balance 20 Lankans have been picked on the recent SAF Games trial meet and last national championships.

Though there were only three meets for last year's first ever Asian Grand Prix Series, the Asian track and field governing body has decided to have a four-leg meeting this year with the inclusion of Colombo as the newest Grand Prix destination in the world. Sri Lanka will host its first-ever Athletic Grand Prix meet when Sugathadasa Stadium hosts the second leg of the 2003 Asian Series on June 1. It will be worked off under lights from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The first of this year's Asian Grand Prix will be in the Indian city of Hyderabad on May 29, followed by Colombo on June 1. The last two Grand Prix meetings of the 2003 Asian Series will be in Bangkok, Thailand (June 3) and Manila, Philippines (June 6).

On merit, based recent Asian level performances, a total of 180 athletes, including five Sri Lankans, have qualified to compete in all four meets. In addition, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Philippines could field up to a maximum of 20 athletes each only for their respective home meets.

The Asian Grand Prix series will comprise nine events each for both men and women - 100m, 400m, 800m, 3,000m, 4 x 100 relay, 110/100m hurdles in track events and long jump, high jump, triple jump and discus throe from field events.

The Asian Athletic Association (formally 4As) have thrown in lavish cash prizes for the medallists of each of the four Grand Prix meetings. The gold medallists in each meet will get USD 1,500, silver medallist USD 1,000 and a bronze USD 750. The overall winners of each events would get even greater prizes as the Asian athletes are in lucks way.

Sri Lanka team for the Asian Grand Prix in Colombo: Men: S.P.N. Hemantha (100m & 4 x 100m relay), Rohan Pradeep Kumara, Sugath Tillakaratne and Prasanna Amarasekera (all for 400m), P.M.G.M. Pushpakumara (800m), Suminda Mendis (3,000m), Indika Kumara (110m hurdles), P.K. Sujith Rohitha (long jump), J.S. Senaratne (high jump), Pradeep Nishantha (triple jump), K.A.U.G.P. Jayawardena (discus throw), R.M.C.B. Ramanayake, K.S. Mendis, R.D.U.S. Surendra (all in 4 x 100m relay) Women: Susanthika Jayasinghe and Jani Chathurangani Silva (both in 100m and 4 x 100m relay), L.S.Irangani (400m and 4 x 100m relay), Damayanthi Darsha (400m), Mangala Priyadharshani (800m), Sriyani Kulawana-Fonseka (100m hurdles), N.C.D. Priyadharshani (long jump), Achala Dias and S.P.S. Buddhika (all in 4 x 100 relay). Sri Lanka team for entire Asian Grand Prix Series in Thailand, Philippines, India and Sri Lanka: Susanthika Jayasinghe (women's 100m), Damayanthi Darsha (women's 400m), Sugath Tillakaratne (men's 400m), Rohan Pradeep Kumara (men's 400m), Sriyani Kulawansa-Fonseka (women's 100m hurdles).

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