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| Wednesday, 16 July 2003 |
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Sugath up against a tough hurdle By Dinesh Weerawansa Next weekend's 2003 Sri Lanka National championship would be a decisive hurdle for Asian Games gold medallist Sugath Tillakaratne. He even could miss out on a place in the team for the IAAF World Championships in France, unless he finishes within the top four in men's 400m of the Athletic nationals. Tillakaratne has failed to secure a place in men's 400m event of the World Championships in Paris next month, though compatriot Rohan Pradeep Kumara Fernando had made it after a successful run during the recent four-leg 2003 Asian Grand Prix Series. However Tillakaratne has another chance of making it to the Sri Lanka team for the World Championship as a member of men's 4 x 400m relay team. However, Tillakaratne, who won men's 400m gold medal at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games, must secure a place within the top four at the National Championships men's 400m event, which would be the final trial to pick the Sri Lanka men's 4 x 400m relay team for the Paris meet. Despite failing to maintain the same form he has had in the late 90s, Tillakaratne has gradually overcome his injury worries to win one of the 2003 Asian Grand Prix events. If he comes out with his brilliant best, it will not be a problem for him to find a place in the relay team for the World championship. Under such a situation, Tillakaratne would be preferred to do the anchor lap for Sri Lanka at the World championship's men's 4 x 400m relay. Pradeep Kumara Fernando has already been assured a place in the relay team as he has qualified to compete in the 400m individual event as well. Hence, only the top three of men's 400m at the Nationals, to be worked off at Sugathadasa Stadium from July 25 to 27, would qualify to be in the team for the World Championships. The fourth placed sprinter would also make it as a reserve. Most top local sprinters did not compete in men's 400m event at the two-day Asian Championship trial meet worked off at the Sugathadasa Stadium last weekend. Manura Lanka, on a holiday from Italy, and I.M.R.Pushpakumara came second and first respectively at the trial meet. Besides the duo, the other two 400m runners who would be competing for the four remaining berths of men's 4 x 400m relay team for the World Championships are Prasanna Amarasekera, Ranga Wimalawansa, S.P.N. Hemantha and P.W.G.M. Pushpakumara. Apart from Pradeep Kumara Fernando (men's 400m), the other Lankans who have qualified to take part in individual events of the IAAF World Championships at Paris Saint Denis are Olympic medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe (women's 100m and 200m) and Asian Games triple gold medallist Damayanthi Darsha (women's 400m). Incidentally, Jayasinghe is the first and the only Sri Lankan ever to win a medal at the IAAF World Championship history, having bagged a silver in women's 200m in Athens, 1997. |
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