Seven field athletes in Lankan pool for Asian Games

Dinesh Weerawansa

ASIAN GAMES: Sri Lanka's extraordinary performance in field events at the 10th South Asian Games has prompted the national selectors to allocate more places for them in the 20-member Sri Lanka national pool named for the upcoming Asian Games in Doha.

Deviating from their traditional power base in track events, the Lankan athletes fared prominently in field events as well at the last month's eight-nation Games in Colombo. While maintaining their strength in sprints, Sri Lankan athletes extended their dominance in field events totalling 14 gold medals at the 10th South Asian Games.

This inspiring performance has persuaded the national selectors to include seven 'field athletes' - three men and four women, in the 20-member Sri Lanka national pool named for the 15th Asian Games to be worked off later this year.

They are triple jumper Chaminda Sampath, high jumper Manjula Kumara Wijesekera, javelin thrower Kingsley Gunatillake, high jumper Dulanjalee Ranasinghe, discus thrower Padma Nandani Wijesundara, javelin throwers Nadeeka Lakmali and Anne Maheshi Silva - all gold medallists at the 10th SA Games.

The most notable athlete missing from the pool is three-time Asian Games gold medallist Damayanthi Darsha, who is nursing a knee injury which forced her to withdraw from last month's SA Games. But she expressed confidence in making it to the Games to attempt for her fifth medal in her fourth successive Asian Games.

Asian championship silver medallist Anne Maheshi Silva was pushed to the second place by compatriot Nadeeka Lakmali at the Colombo SA Games but both of them have found places in the Asian Games pool.

Interestingly, the SA Games silver medallists Silva of Sri Lanka Navy has bounced back with a 52m plus at the Western Province meet to better the gold medallist Lakmali's performance.

Sri Lanka plans to compete in men's 4 x 400m and women's 4 x 100m - the two relay events in which Sri Lanka won gold medals at the SA Games.

Sri Lanka stands a good medal prospect in men's 400m relay, an event in which Sri Lanka has always fared well in the Asian circuit since its triumph at the 1974 Teheran Asian Games. Rohitha Pushpakumara, Prasanna Amarasekera and veteran Sugath Tillakaratne will be joined by Rohan Pradeep Kumara for the anchor lap in men's 4 x 400m.

The presence of Olympic medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe should inspire Sri Lanka to do well in women's 100m relay as well. Joining the women's 200m bronze medallist at the Sydney 2000 Games for the relay will be Jani Chathurangani Silva, Sujani Buddhika and D.D.P. Priyadharshani.

The Athletic Association of Sri Lanka will hold the final trial meet for the 15th South Asian Games at Sugathadasa Stadium on October 17 and 18. But only selected events would be included and will be open to all.

An official of the AASL said all those who gain the minimum qualifying standards of the Asian Games would be included in the team to Doha. "This is only a provisional pool and those who are not in that could still make it to the Asian Games if they excel at next month's trials," he said.

Sri Lanka athletic pool for Asian Games:

Men: Umanga Surendra (100), Rohan Pradeep Kumara (200m, 400m and 4 x 400m relay), Chaminda Sampath (triple jump), Kingsley Gunatillake (javelin throw), Manjula Kumara Wijesekera (high jump), Prasanna Sampath Amarasekera (4 x 400m relay), Rohitha Pushpakumara (4 x 400m relay), Sugath Tillakaratne (4 x 400m relay), Ajith Bandara (marathon), Chaminda Wijekoon (1,500), Asoka Jayasundara (400m hurdles), S. Abeynayake (800m).

Women: Susanthika Jayasinghe (100m, 200m and 4 x 100m relay), Nadeeka Lakmali (javelin throw), Anne Maheshi Silva (javelin throw), Dulanjali Ranasinghe (high jump), Padma Nandani Wijesundara (dicus throw), D.D.P. Priyadharshani (4 x 100m relay), Jani Chathurangani Silva (100m and 4 x 100m relay), Sujani Buddhika (200m and 4 x 100m relay).

Manager: Maj. Gen. Palitha Fernando.