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| Friday, 23 January 2004 |
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Strong squad for SAF Games by Dinesh Weerawansa Sri Lanka will send a strong 250-member contingent for the 9th South Asian Federation (SAF) Games to be held in Pakistan in March. Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, Commander H.U. Silva said yesterday that the strength of the Lankan contingent would be over 250 and that the teams would be finalised soon. He said that Sri Lanka will compete in all 15 disciplines of the SAF Games to be worked off in Islamabad from April 29 to April 7. Preparations of the 15 national sports associations sending teams for the eight-nation Games have already begun and the final selections are to be made before the end of next month. Athletes will take a major portion of the Sri Lanka contingent. Around 50 athletes are to be sent for the SAF Games, subject to the minimum qualifying standards they achieve by the Sri Lanka SAF Games trial meet to be worked off at the Sugathadasa Stadium on February 20 and 21. However, the SAF Games organisers have set February 17 as the final day to send entries by name. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has agreed to meet the total air passage of the Sri Lanka contingent for the SAF Games in Pakistan in March/ April. Hence the thrice-postponed Games are finally coming at an unexpected period, there has been no budgetary allocations from the Sports Ministry funds. However, Minister Johnton Fernandon has instructed at least to meet the cots of airfare of the Sri Lanka contingent. Meanwhile, President of the National Olympic Committee Hemasiri Hernando and Secretary General H.U. Silva will represent Sri Lanka at the South Asian Sports Federation (SASF) meeting to be held in Islamabad on January 31 and February 1. Several important matters relating to the forthcoming SAF Games in Pakistan in March will be discussed at the two-day meeting. Randhir Singh and Suresh Kalmadi will be at the head of a nine-man strong Indian delegation to meeting. The delegation members of all the eight participating countries have been named by the respective National Olympic Committees for the meeting which will review the preparations for the thrice postponed Games. Athletic Association of Sri Lanka has intensified their training and competition schedules to the national athletes with the arrival of three Ukrainian coaches - the first ever paid professionals to train Sri Lanka athletes and their coaches. Following Tuesday's arrival of Shivli Eugene, two more contracted Ukrainian international coaches arrived in Colombo yesterday. The duo who arrived yesterday are Mykola Baklanov and Dmypto Vanyaikin - the two track coaches. All three are former star Russian athletes who have now turned professional coaches. |
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