Dharshana, Gayanthika, Lekamge confirmed for World Championships  

Sprinter Aruna Dharshana, javelin thrower Dilhani Lekamge, 1500 metres runner Gayanthika Abeyratne and the men’s 4×400 metres relay team will represent Sri Lanka at the upcoming World Championships in Budapest.

Sri Lanka Athletics announced the names of participants on Sunday after the world governing body confirmed the athletes who have reached qualifying standards. It will be the largest Sri Lanka team to a World Championships since the 2001 Edmonton Championships where a team of 12 including some of the legends of the sport represented the country.

The Athletics fraternity were anticipating the outcome after some of the leading athletes including Dharshana, Lekamge and Abeyratne finished among the top contenders for the World Championship places.

Gayanthika will become the first female athlete to compete in the 1500 metres. After Chaminda Wijekoon competed in the men’s 1,500 metres at the 2011 event no Sri Lankan had reached qualifying standards for the men’s or women’s 1500 metres at the global event. It will be her second appearance at a World Championship and will join Susanthika Jayasinghe, Damayanthi Dharsha and Sriyani Kulawansha as athletes who have competed in more than one Championship. The athlete trained by Sajith Jayalal was in the top 56 after the World Athletics updated the rankings last week.

Dilhani Lekamge will become the second female thrower behind Nadeeka Lakmali to compete in the women’s javelin throw at the World Championships. The athlete trained by Pradeep Nishantha finished among the top 36 athletes in the world after the World Athletics updated the ranking at the end of the qualifying period last week.

While the bronze medal-winning performances of Lekamge and Abeyratne at the Asian Athletics Championships have stood in good stead for them to improve their rankings to earn qualifying standards, sprinter Dharshana’s participation at top-grade competitions in Japan has helped him secure the spot.

Dharshana won two relay medals at the Asian Championships but could not clinch a medal in the individual event.

The athlete trained by Asanka Rajakaruna is now in the 48th position in the Road to Budapest rankings. He will also be a key member of the men’s 4×400 metres relay team. He is the first 400 metres sprinter after Prasanna Amarasekara to reach qualifying standards for the men’s 400 metres at the World Championships.

Dharshana is joined by the likes of Kalinga Kumarage, Rajitha Rajakaruna and Pabasara Niku to form the 4×400 relay team.     (RF)