Former Olympic athlete Dharmasena dies

Kandy Sports Special Corr.

DEATH: Commissioned Officer S. V. A. Dharmasena who represented Sri Lanka in the 4 x 400 metres relay at the Moscow Olympic Games in 1980 passed away after a brief illness yesterday in Kandy at the age of 56 years.

His colleagues at the 1980 Games were Kosala Sahabandu, A. Premachandra, K. P. M. Perera and Ranjith Aluwihare. He also represented Sri Lanka at the Asian Games held in Bangkok in 1979 in 400 metres individual event.

He came to big time athletics after joining the Sri Lanka Army and was attached to the Light Infantry from 1972 to 1982. At the Defence Services meet in 1980, he was adjudged as the Best Athlete.

Dharmasena joined Kandy Municipal Council in 1988 as a Sports Instructor and spread his good knowledge as an athlete to the children of the Deiyannewela area. His funeral will take place at Mahaiyawa public cemetery on Sunday.