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| Thursday, 17 June 2004 |
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AGP 2004 - Grand opening by Dinesh Weerawansa Cultural events depicting Sri Lankan customs and traditions, would be included for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2004 Asian Grand Prix meeting in Colombo, Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, Jeewan Kumaratunga said yesterday. Addressing media at the Sports Ministry auditorium, Minister Kumaratunga said the 2004 Colombo Grand Prix would be equally colourful as last year's one. "Our Ministry would provide Rs. seven million though we are working on a low budget with limited finances, we would utilise those well and have a successful meet. This is a big occasion for our athletes to show their class," the Minister said. There will be a total of 23 events on the cards for the second leg of the 3rd Asian Grand Prix 2004 to be worked off at the Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo next Sunday (27). The day-night meet would commence at 4.15 p.m. with the men's discus throw. The last four events will be men's and women's 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m relays from 6.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. The three-leg Asian Grand Prix Series will be a crucial one for sprint queen Susanthika Jayasinghe. She has to gain the qualifying standard time in one of the three meets if she is to qualify to run in women's 200m at the Athens Olympics. She has already qualified to run in women's 100m but not her pet event, in which she won a bronze at the last Olympics in Sydney 2000. The Colombo Grand Prix would see the best eight relay teams in Asia taking part with a view of finding a place at the Athens Olympics. Sri Lanka has decided only to take part in men's 4 x 400m relay with both Jayasinghe and Damayanthi Darsha opting out from women's 100m and 400m relay teams respectively. Jayasinghe will compete in only women's 200m at the Asian Grand Prix series. But compatriot Jani Chathurangani Silva, the recent South Asian Games 100m gold medallist would run in both the 100m and 200m. The Asian Grand Prix would bring a head on meeting of Jayasinghe and Asian Games 200m gold medallist Saraswathi Saha. The others in women's 200m line up with Jayasinghe are Lyubov Perepelova (Uzbekistan), Lisha Chen (China), Guzet Khubbieva (Uzbekistan) and Ayumi Susuki (Japan). |
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