Twenty Lankan Weightlifters for Commonwealth C' ships

M.A.R. Manukulasooriya Hiriyala Group Correspondent

A team of twenty sportsmen and sportswomen will leave for Malaysia on October 18 in order to take part in Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship competition which is scheduled to be held in the Pennang city for six days from October 20.

Gamini Gunathilaka, President of the Kurunegala Weightlifting Association and Vice President of Sri Lanka Weightlifting Association will act as the Manager of the Men and Women Junior team. Purna Kahingala will act as the overall Manager of the whole team.

Gamini Gunathilaka, who serves as the Superintendent of Police (2), Kurunegala was the first sportsman who had brought the first medal to Sri Lanka for Weightlifting event. He won this medal at the event held in Pakistan in 1982. He has also become the National Champion in Weightlifting for 17 consecutive years.

"One team from Colombo who underwent training under the Coach R.B. Wickremasinghe, another team from Kandy who underwent training under the Coach Athula Wijewickrema and the third team from Kurunegala who underwent training under me will take part in this Commonwealth Weightlifting Competition - 2009. I am much grateful to our Sports Minister, Gamini Lokuge for granting us permission to take part in this great event.

We hope to bring at least four medals in the Junior Championship and three medals in the Senior Championship competition", said Gamini Gunathilaka, President of the Kurunegala District Weightlifting Association.