Weightlifter Nadini breaks three national records

S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports corr

Like wine I am getting better with age, said thirty five year old women weightlifter Nadini Gunasekera of Kandy YMCA who rocked the local weightlifting world when she broke three national weightlifting records in the women's category at the weightlifting trials for the Commonwealth Games organized by the Sri Lanka

Weightlifting Federation and held at the Gymnasium of the Ministry of Sports in Colombo.

Her run up to the record breaking feats is as follows: Competing in the 53 kilogramme body weight category she first snatched 76 kilogrammes erasing her own national record of 75 kilogrammes and later Clean and Jerked 95 kilogrammes eclipsing her own national record of 94 kilogrammes to total 171 kilogrammes which bettered her national record of 169 killogrammes.

Nadini Gunasekera's career highlights are simply remarkable if not astounding. She took to weightlifting at the age of 27 when her mentor a sports officer told her that iron sports is the best for her 'tom boy' like appearance. It was the age at which many lasses would like to say adieu to sports and think seriously and settle down in life before the tender looks and gracefulness disappear. But not for Nadini Gunasekera.

She was 69 kilogrammes at that time and she had to shed weight if she is to perform well at international meets. She slimmed down the natural way by dieting and at times starving and through exercises. She has now shed 18 kilogrammes and if she could make it to less than 48 kilogrammes, then Sri Lanka could be assured of a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held at New Delhi in August this year. Her performance at the trials in her present weight category is sure of a silver or bronze medal but her goal is a gold medal in the under 48 kilogramme body weight category.

She has now broken over 20 National records in various body weight categories.

She is the highest weightlifter in the history of weightlifting for women. She is so dedicated that she travels daily from Kegalle for her training at the Kandy YMCA. She is from a humble home and could not even afford the daily bus fare. Kandy YMCA in a magnanimous gesture provided her with employment for her to continue her training.

She said if not for Kandy YMCA, her career in weightlifting would have been over long time ago. She is ever so grateful to the President of the Kandy YMCA Pastor Donald Fernando, former Secretary Russel Ebert, Co-ordinating Secretary and former national weightlifting coach S. A. Wijewickrema Jnr., Director Physical Education Laxaman Fernando, Nihala Wimalasuriya and her dedicated coach Athula Wijewickrema and David Edirisinghe and the Board of Governors of the Kandy YMCA who have been a source of encouragement and strength to her in all her endeavours.