Historic day for Lankan cycling

MEDAL WINNERS: C. P. Meemanage and Sriyalatha Wickramasinghe who made history by winning gold medals for cycling at the 10th South Asian Games now in progress in Sri Lanka. They won men’s and women’s Time Trial events. Picture by Rukmal Gamage

Cycling: It was a historic day for Sri Lanka cycling as the hosts bagged two gold medals at the 10th South Asian Games competition here. The two gold medals for Sri Lanka came in the men's and women's time trials through Meemanage Perera and Sriyalatha Wickremasinghe. The Lankan riders underlined their supremacy by making a clean sweep in the men's 40km time trial, which was a four-lap affair.

Sri Lanka's Meemanage Perera clocked 56 minutes and 16.87 seconds to win men's 40km time trial. He was closely followed by his team mate Thushitha Dinesh, who finished in 57:53.53. Settling for the bronze in the third place was Hemantha Kumara, also of Sri Lanka in 58:02.90.

Perera said it was one of the most memorable days in his life. "My aim right from the start was to make my country proud. We only wanted one of our riders to win the gold and I am glad that I could do that today. Dinesh and Kumara too fared well and we were able to take all three medals that were on offer," the Lankan gold medallist said. Meanwhile, Wickremasinghe survived a close timing to win the gold in the two-lap women's time trial that covered a distance of 20km. She returned a timing of 31 minutes and 05.89 seconds.

The Lankan lass was lucky to edge out Pakistan's Raheela Bano, who clocked 32:48.01 to take the silver. India's Chaoba Devi (32:55.10) took the bronze, ahead of Wickremasinghe's team mates of the Lankan team - Lasanthi Gunatillake (32:57.18) and Niluka Shamali (33:31.16), who finished fourth and fifth respectively.

DW