High jumper Dulanjalee blessed with a gold medal

Dinesh Weerawansa

SA GAMES: Her coach describes it as a gift from the God. It was a historic occasion where a former gold medallist has successfully guided one of her students to achieve the same feat. That could also be described as a memorable occasion where Sri Lanka has produced a women's high jump gold medallist in the South Asian circuit after 15 years.

Dulanjalee Ranasinghe was the athlete and the coach was Dileema Peterson. The achievement - women's high jump gold medal for Sri Lanka at the 10th South Asian Games on August 25, 2006.

It was a dream come true for that 16-year-old student of Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo. The hard work and dedication of the young schoolgirl finally brought the result that she and her coach have been dreaming for during the past four years.

More significantly, it was for the first time in 15 years that Sri Lanka accounted for women's high jump gold medal in the South Asian Games history after Sriyani Kulawansa did so at the fifth edition of the Games, way back in 1991 at the very same venue.

In 1985, Dhaka, Peterson bagged the gold medal in her pet event. Peterson cleared 5.73m to win women's long jump gold, narrowly beating Indians P.M. Rosilly (5.67m) and Malika Das (5.46m) at the second edition of the Games. She was the only Sri Lankan woman athlete to win a gold at the Madras Games.

Peterson then took to coaching and over the past few years, she has done an excellent job at Devi Balika. This is what she had to say about the gift that she got from the God; "Three days prior to Dulanjalee's event, I went to St. Anthony's church, Kochchikade and made a vow. I was very confident of her talents and wanted blessings for my student to go for that dream gold," "It was one of the most memorable gifts that I have got from the God," said Peterson, who is a devoted Chatholic.

Incidentally, Peterson is the only former Sri Lankan female South Asian Games gold medallist to produce another gold medallist at the South Asian Games.

However, Ranasinghe's road to that dream gold had been full of obstacles, tough challenges and bitter experiences. But Ranasinghe was fortunate enough to get that big break of coming down to Colombo from a remote town in Puttalam and entering one of the leading girls' schools in the capital.

Peterson spotted the raw talent of Ranasinghe and carefully groomed her for the future. She had to put a lot of effort to train young Ranasinghe.

Dulanjalee Ranasinghe thinks the opportunity she got to enter Devi Balika and train under a reputed coach like Peterson made way for her to go for the gold. "That was a big and rare opportunity and I feel I made the maximum use of it without disappointing anyone. I am glad that I was able to produce results, make my country proud and live up to the expectations of all those who believed in me," the women's high jump gold medallist said.

Ranasinghe had started her athletic career at the tender age of nine years. But it was the track events that she tried out first before switching on to a technically important field event like jump. She had thought her height would give her a distinct advantage in competing in an event like high jump. It was Peterson who had secured young Ranasinghe a scholarship to study and train in Colombo.

Having made a steady progress under her Devi Balika teacher Peterson, Ranasinghe emerged as the Sri Lanka national champion of her pet event this year. She met with her personal best clearance of 1.73m at the 2006 Sri Lanka national championship, which served as the final trial to pick the Sri Lanka contingent for the eight-nation Games.

Ranasinghe said she had to make lot of sacrifices to achieve this memorable milestone. "It was a hectic challenge, a gigantic task. I had to make a lot of sacrifices. I worked hard for this goal, being away from my family.

Even I had to take time off my studies and devote fully on athletics. I am extremely happy that all those were not in vain and were for a worthy cause of making our country proud," the Lankan golden girl said.

She cleared 1.71m in the women's high jump final to kiss the gold, slightly ahead of compatriot Tharanga Vinodhani who settled for the silver with a clearance of 1.68m. Peterson's belief that her student's gold was a gift from the God looked right as she had plenty of reasons to think so.

Until the final attempt by Ranasinghe, it was her Sri Lankan team mate Vinodhani who was leading in the women's high jump competition. Ranasinghe was twice unsuccessful in her attempts to clear 1.71m. It was only in the third and final attempt at 1.71m that Ranasinghe neatly went across the bar, much to the delight of her coach Peterson and thousands of spectators at the stadium.

On the other hand, Ranasinghe was not feeling all that fit when she was taking her jumps. She was nursing a niggling problem with her left knee and it was a close call. But finally, she beat all odds to secure the gold.

"I was feeling very confident. I knew that I was going to win the gold even before the event started. I could have definitely done better if my left knee had not troubled me. But personal records are immaterial, all that is important that I won the gold for my country," she said.

"I know I could do better. I am still 16 and have a long way to go. With more experience and exposure, advanced training and right backing, I should be able to do much better. I am determined to bring more glory to my country" Ranasinghe added. Her next goal is the Asian Games.

"Now that I have won a gold medal at South Asian level, I must look forward beyond that. I want to train hard and make every effort to win a medal at Asian level. It is hard I know, but there again, I would make my best effort," a determined Ranasinghe concluded.