Weight lifter Dhammika sets up three new records
Upananda Jayasundera Kandy Sports Special corr
M M Dhammika Harischandra from Sri Lanka Air Force, one of the most
experienced woman weight lifters at present had set three new Sri Lanka
records at the recently concluded Defence Services Weight Lifting
Contest. She lifted 73 kgs in satch and 90 kgs in clean and jerk
totalling 163 kgs, representing the 75 kgs weight category.
Dhammika Harischandra with her medals. Picture by Upananda
Jayasundera, Kandy Sports Special Correspondent |
Dhammika, an old girl of Hureekaduwa Balika Maha Vidyalaya,
Menikhinna, excelled in Discus Throw, Javelin Throw in field events in
Athletics, Netball, Volleyball, Basketball and cricket in school level
and District level before taking part in weight lifting under the
National weight lifting coach Athula Wijewickrema in the year 2004.
Following are some of her achievements in weight lifting.
She won the Junior National Weight lifting title in the 69 kg weight
class in the year 2004 and went on to win the National title in the same
weight class in 2005 establishing three new Sri Lanka records.
She repeated it winning the same title in the same weight category in
the years 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Dhammika was placed 4th at the Commonwealth weight lifting
championship held in Penang, Malaysia from 17th to 24th October 2009.
Representing 75 kgs weight class in the same year she won the
National Sports Festival weight lifting title. She established three new
Sri Lanka records again in a different weight category ie 75 kgs,
(snatch 71 kgs, clean and jerk 81 kgs, totalling to 152 kgs) in the year
2009 at the National weight lifting championship held at the University
of Kelaniya on the 17th December 2009.
At the 36th National Sports Festival in the year 2010 she won the 75
kg weight lifting title and repeated same in the years 2011 and 2012.
Dhammika won three Gold medals at the first South Asian Games held in
Nepal in 2012 with two new Sri Lanka Records. (Clean and jerk 88 kgs
total 158 kgs) Presently she is preparing for the South Asian weight
lifting championship to be held in India later this year. |