Sri Lankans to run in the greatest marathon series

Sri Lanka National Teams prepare to leave for first leg of world famous marathon: the Greatest Race on Earth.

Standard Chartered Sri Lanka sends a visually impaired runner for international marathon.

A contingent of Sri Lanka’s finest long distant runners, will leave today for the first leg of Standard Chartered’s the Greatest Race on Earth. The unique marathon team relay series created and sponsored by Standard Chartered, encompasses four of the world’s most gruelling marathons - Nairobi, Singapore, Mumbai and Hong Kong, and offers one of the single richest prize pools in world athletics with a USD 1 million on offer to participants.

For the first time Standard Chartered Bank Sri Lanka is also sending a visually impaired runner to take part in the series.

Dayamanage Upul Shantha, a visually handicapped professional runner is also being sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank to take part in one of the marathons representing Sri Lanka and also to raise awareness on the Seeing is Believing initiatives that will directly improving eye care services for the less privileged in Sri Lanka.

In February this year Mallika Chandrakanthi brought Sri Lanka glory as she came in first in the Middle East and South Asia category and secured the women’s regional title for Sri Lanka at the final marathon challenge of Greatest Race on Earth in Hong Kong.

Jeevakumaran Sivaperumal came in second at his event and 26th at the overall marathon. The women’s team become Regional Champions at the Race and both teams also received The “Special Achievement Award” for their enduring efforts.

Sri Lankan athletes were presented the largest prize money to have ever been awarded to long distance runners in Sri Lanka for their performance at their 4th Greatest Race on Earth Marathon, earlier this year.

“For the fifth consecutive year Standard Chartered Bank is sponsoring both a male and female teams to take part in this most acclaimed and highest paying marathon series. What is unique this year is that Sri Lanka is also entering a visually impaired runner to take part in the marathon.

The Bank has a history of promoting long distance running in Sri Lanka this being the seventh year that they have sponsored Sri Lankan athletes at foreign marathons,” said Major General Palitha Fernando President of the Athletics Association of Sri Lanka.

“Standard Chartered Bank is proud to continue its commitment to long distance running in Sri Lanka. We are determined to give our local athletes the international exposure and skills they need to be on par with the best in the world, whilst also promoting Sri Lanka as a destination of choice for future marathons,” Clive Haswell CEO Standard Chartered Bank Sri Lanka.

The Greatest Race on Earth series gets under starters orders with the Nairobi Marathon on Sunday 26th October and then moves on to Singapore on 7th December, before heading to Mumbai on 18th January and then finishing in Hong Long on 8th February.

Men’s and women’s teams representing 25 countries from around the world will be competing in the elite Nation’s Challenge. This year they will be joined by a Visually impaired All-Stars team, including Paralympic gold medallists Henry Wanyoike of Kenya and Yuichi Takahashi of Japan, who will be running to raise awareness and funds for Seeing is Believing.

Taking place alongside the Nation’s Challenge will be the Half Marathon Staff Challenge, which will see 72 Standard Chartered staff teams from 31 different countries also running to raise awareness and funds for Seeing is Believing.

This year’s National contingent, selected by the Athletics Association of Sri Lanka will consist of the following: Men’s Sujeewa Chandrapala, Ishan Kumara Wijethilake Kelekorale Gedara, Ajith Bandara Adikari Mudiyanselage and Jeevakumaran Sivaperumal.

Women’s Manjula Kumarasinghe, Chandrawathi Marasinghe Aratchilage, Lakmini Anuradhi Bogahawatta and Ruvina Deepani Mallawarachige.