Chamal and relay teams to compete in India  

by Reemus Fernando  

Triple jumper Chamal Kumarasiri will get an opportunity to improve his rankings to qualify for the World Championships when Sri Lanka Athletics field a team of eleven athletes for the 61st Indian National Inter State Senior Championship which commences in Chennai next week. Kumarasiri is currently placed 47th in the ‘Road to Oregon 2022’ list which determines the participants for the World Athletics showpiece event, the World Championships which will be held in July.

He has to be among the top 32 in the list to qualify for the biennial event or achieve the tough qualifying standard of 17.14 metres to make a direct entry. Kumarasiri cleared 16.40 metres to establish a new meet record at the Centenary National Championships in April. He has to make the list before the qualifying period closes on June 26. Kumarasiri will be joined by women’s 4×100 metres relay team and the men’s 4×400 metres relay team.

The women’s 100 metres champion Amasha de Silva leads the 4×100 metres team which includes Medhani Jayamanne, Shalinda Jansen, Lakshika Sugandhi and Rumeshika Ratnayake. Aruna Dharshana who was the runner up to Kalinga Kumarage in the men’s 400metres at the National Championships will lead the men’s 4×400 metres team. Others in that team are Isuru Lakshan, Pabasara Niku, Dinuka Deshan and Rajitha Rajakaruna.However conspicuous by his absence in the team is I.M. Ranasinghe who trained the relay teams.

Sri Lanka Athletics were looking forward to form two strong relay teams for the now postponed Asian Games. Despite the championship in India offering a chance for the two relay teams to bond together, the authorities have omitted the official assigned to guide the destiny of the teams. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Athletics has sent long jumper Sarangi Silva for several competitions in Europe. Javelin thrower Sumedha Ranasinghe, 400 metres specialist Kalinga Kumarage and 800 metres runner Gayanthika Abeyratne are likely to get an opportunity to compete overseas sooner before the qualifying period for the World Championships expires.