Susanthika out of Asian Games?

In hospital - down with Chickungunya:

by Dinesh Weerawansa

ASIAN GAMES: Olympic medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe is likely to miss next month's Asian Games in Qatar. The 31-year-old Sri Lankan sprint queen was admitted to a leading hospital in Colombo after catching Chikungunya.

Her husband and local trainer, Dhammika Nandakumara confirmed that Jayasinghe is suffering from viral flu Chikungunya and will be out for at least a week. Besides Jayasinghe, three Sri Lanka sprinters - Damayanthi Darsha, Sugath Tillakaratne and J.M.S. Weerasuriya, have already been ruled out of the upcoming Games due to injuries.

"The doctors confirmed that she is suffering from Chikungunya. They said it will take about a week for her to recover from flu," said Nandakumara. But he said it's too early to decide whether Jayasinghe could compete at the Games or not.

However, informed sources said it is likely that the Olympic and World Championship medallist will make a speedy recovery and be fit for the Doha Asian Games.

Jayasinghe, who has also been named the overall captain of the 227-member Sri Lanka contingent for the 15th Asian Games, was due to fly with the first batch next Thursday (30). The sources added that even if Jayasinghe recovers within a week, she may not have adequate time to train and catch her lost work outs to be physically fit for her women's 100m and 200m races of the 44-nation Games.

Despite becoming the most successful athlete ever produced by Sri Lanka, Jayasinghe has not been able to win an Asian Games gold medal in her pet event.

In fact, she has a comparatively bitter experience at the Asian Games, having made a first round exit due to an injury at the 1998 Bangkok Games.

Even at the last Asian Games in Busan 2002, Jayasinghe had to pull out of women's 200m after winning the 100m gold medal. However, she made a dream Asian Games debut with a women's 200m silver in Hiroshima, 1994.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka will also miss it's most successful competitor in the Asian Games history - Damayanthi Darsha, for the Doha Games.

Darsha, who has won four medals - three gold and one bronze, during the last three Asian Games from 1994 to 2002, was due to defend her women's 400m Asian Games titles won in Bangkok 1998 and Busan 2002.

However, a leg injury has forced her to keep away from Doha Asian Games.

Sprinter Sugath Tillakaratne, the men's 400m gold medallist at the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok eight years ago, too will skip the Doha Games due to an ankle injury. He was due to run for Sri Lanka in men's 4 x 400m relay.

The fourth on the injured list is sprinter Weerasuriya who is due to compete in men's 200m. Weerasuriya had a bad fall at last weekend's trials to pick Sri Lanka relay teams and is nursing a fracture.

President of the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka, Dervin Perera said last night that it's too early to decide the fate of Jayasinghe, though the other three athletes would miss the Games due to injuries.

With Jayasinghe almost certain of missing Thursday's departure with the first batch, Sri Lanka will at least have to name a stand in overall captain to carry the Lion flag at the opening ceremony, scheduled for December 1.

In case Jayasinghe is ruled out, fellow sprinter Rohan Pradeep Kumara is strongly tipped to be appointed overall captain of the Sri Lanka contingent.

Pradeep Kumara will represent Sri Lanka in men's 400m and men's 4 x 400m relay.

Apart from the four athletes, NOC sources said yesterday that badminton player Niluka Karunaratne too would miss the Doha Asian Games due to an injury.

Andrew and Chinthana also withdraw

ATHLETICS: Swimmer Andrew Abeysinghe and Weightlifter Chinthana Vidanage too have withdrawn from the Asian Games. Abeysinghe has pulled out citing a passport problem while the Weightlifting Association has informed that Vidanage is nursing an injury.