Daya Ratnayake to head Lankan Athletics

Yasaratne GAMAGE and Pince GUNASEKERA

Sri Lanka Athletic Association (SLAA) will be chaired by Major General Daya Ratnayake who will be elected uncontested while K B T Perera (assistant secretary) and Saman Kumara Gunawardana (recorder) have also secured their positions when the submission of applications for the general election of SLAA reached a deadline by 12 noon yesterday.

Election for the other posts will be held on May 3 at the Sports Medicine Auditorium with more candidates having submitted nominations for several posts in SLAA.

There will be 14 candidates waiting to be six vice presidents, including 2000 Sydney Olympic silver medalist Susanthika Jayasinghe and former athlete Sugath Tilakaratne.

The upcoming election will be a keen contest as two candidates for the post of secretary, (Prema Pinnawala and Rear Admiral Shamal Fernando) three for the post of treasure (T Aleilama, Chandana Ekanayaka and Kiran Athapattu) and two candidates (Oliver Calystus and M A Upali) are contesting for the post of assistant treasure.

Sports Director General Ranjani Jayakodi said that the eligibility and accuracy of the nominations will be reviewed by a special committee and if there will be any rejections, it will be announced. She also said that the new administration of the association will soon take part in the organization process for the Asian Junior Athletic Championship which Sri Lanka hosts.