Promising athlete seeks a sponsor

Poornima a talent yet to be recognized:

Anuradha ABEYESEKERA

Budding athletes from outstations who have shown great prowess in their early stages often face a lot of hardships throughout their career because they are not from Colombo which has the best facilities, in education and sports.

Poornima Kalpage of Loyola College, Negombo is one such talented lass who has repeatedly proved her excellence in the long jump event. The thirteen year old made her first big achievement in 2009 when she clinched the under-13 long jump title at the Sir John Tarbat Athletic Meet. The

following year she was victorious again, this time in the under 14 age category at the same meet. She entered the junior athletic recored books by clearing 4.82m in the under 14 long jump event

during the recently concluded women's athletic championships at the Diyagama Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium.

Poornima who is also a good runner, has proved her talents in the 100m and 200m events at the school level. She stepped into athletics from her first school Katana Maha Vidyalaya and later had

the opportunity to enter Loyola College due to her outstanding sporting talents.

She is a grade eight student who has been a well mannered and studious girl in the school. Being the second in her family Poornima has an elder and a younger sister.

Following in the foot steps of Poormina her youngest sister is also showing promise in athletics.

Poornima thanks her school and coaches for this enormous support they have extended and said that her parents always encourage her even though the family is going through a rough time as her farther looks after his family with the little earnings from his food business.

With her school's support, Poornima trains under two senior coaches, Austin Fernando and Amal Ruwan Perera who have been guiding her to success. Her only ambition is to represent Sri Lanka at the

Commonwealth Games in 2018. "I am working hard to make my dream a reality and seek a sponsor who can help me, so I can ease my father's burden," says Poornima.