Athletes should prepare themselves for 2012 Olympics, says Minister

Chinthana WASALA

“We would look into our performances in Beijing in an optimistic way and will prepare ourselves for a better show at London in 2012” said Gamini Lokuge, Minister of Sports and Public Recreation at a ceremony to hand over cash presentations for Sri Lankan athletes who renewed Sri Lanka records over the past year. The ceremony took place at the Ministry of Sports.

Nine athletes who broke athletic records and their coaches were handed over valuable cash presentations as a step to lift up the moral of them.

The ministry of Sports has spent over 10 million rupees on preparing the Sri Lankan Olympic participants and the Minister stated that he is proud of them who marked Sri Lanka’s name among 205 countries who took part.

The new programme has been launched as a long term preparation programme to help increase the performances of athletes and to help them concentrate on their events ahead of the next Olympic Games.

“From this time on, the athletes would not have to bother about finding sponsorships. We will do our best to take care of them” added Lokuge. Athletes who broke Sri Lanka records:

Priyangika Madumanthi (High Juno – 1.80m) Rs. 270,000, S.M.M. De Silva (pole vault 2.55m) Rs. 90,000, R.M.P.K. Ratnayake (Hammer Throw – 37.64m), D.A.S. Samanmalee (1500m - 4 minutes 24.90secs.), J.A.D. Ann Piyumali (Pole vault – 2.65m), Nadeeka Lakmali (Javelin Throw – 58.48m), Ishara Udayangani (Pole Vault 2.80m), P.T.K. Abeyratne (Pole Vault - 2.35m) Coaches who received cash awards: P.L.S. Samson, Sajith Jayalal, Sepala Kumaradasa, Susantha Fernando, Augustin Fernando, A.J. Rodrigo.