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| Monday, 7 July 2003 |
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Asian c'ship trials attracts over 500 athletes by Dinesh Weerawansa Sri Lanka's national athletes are down to compete in two key domestic meets this month, ahead of next month's IAAF World Championships in France and September's Asian Championships in the Philippines. A record number of entries are expected for the Asian Championships trial next weekend and for the National championships later this month. All top Sri Lankan athletes will be seen in action at the 2003 National Championships to be worked off at Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo. It will also provide the last domestic competition for the seven-member Sri Lanka team for next month's IAAF World Championships in France. Over 500 top national level athletes will vie for honours at the 2003 National Championships, conducted by the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka, from July 25 to 27. This year's nationals will serve as the final trial to pick the Sri Lanka team for the Asian Athletic Championships in Manila, Philippines in September. Meanwhile, the selection trial to pick the Sri Lanka team for the forthcoming Asian Athletic Championships in the Philippines will be worked off next weekend. Sri Lanka Athletic Association said all those who excel at the Asian Championship trials on July 12 and 13 at Sugathadasa Stadium, will be considered for the national pool. Over 500 top national level athletes in Sri Lanka will compete at the two-day trial in Colombo. The final trial to pick the Sri Lanka team for the Asian Championships will be the 2003 National Championships to be worked off later this month. Next weekend's Asian Championship trials would be of a great importance as it will determine the last three berths in the Sri Lanka men's 4 x 400m relay team for the IAAF World Championships to be worked off in Paris from August 22 to 30. Rohan Pradeep Kumara and Sugath Tillakaratne have already been picked on merit to do the first and anchor lap for Sri Lanka in the men's 4 x 400m relay in Paris. But the other three places in the relay team, including reserve, are yet to be finalised. The Lankan sprinters who will do the second and third laps as well as the reserve will be picked after the Asian Championship trial meet. Among the top sprinters competing for the two remaining berths in the relay team are S.P.N. Hemantha, Ranga Wimalawansa, I.M. Pushpakumara, L.M.R. Pushpakumara and K.S. Mendis. Besides Pradeep Kumara and Tillakaratne, the others who have already been picked to compete in Paris World Championships are Olympic medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe and Asian Games triple gold medallist Damayanthi Darsha. |
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