Gayanthika among medal prospects on day one

25th Asian Athletics Championships

by Reemus Fernando

Sprinters Aruna Dharshana, Rajitha Rajakaruna and Nadeesha Ramanayake will kick start Sri Lanka’s campaign when they enter the men’s and women’s 400metres heats on day one of the Asian Athletics Championships in Thailand today.

The fourth fastest man in the one-lap race in Sri Lanka’s track and field history, Dharshana will vie to book a place in the final. He has what it takes to excel in both the individual and the relay events if his recent personal best performance is of an indication to the good form he is maintaining.

Saudi Arabia’s Mawtan Al Yasen Mazen and Youssef Ahmed Masrahi and the Japanese duo of Sato Fuga and Sato Kentaro are the leading contenders in the men’s 400 metres and Dharshana and Rajakaruna are expected to produce their best against the Asian leaders. Dharshana’s best performance this year is currently ranked eighth in Asia and he will be eager to improve on that.

When she last competed at the Asian Athletics Championships in 2019, Nadeesha Ramanayake was part of Sri Lanka’s 4×400 metres relay team that went on to break the national record. She had to be content with a fourth-place finish in the relay in Doha. The Southerner has come a long way. This year she overtook Asian Championship medallist Menaka Wickramasinghe as the third fastest 400 metres sprinter in Sri Lanka’s history when she clocked 52.80 seconds at Diyagama in April. That feat is the eighth fastest time in Asia this year. Some of the athletes who occupy top positions in that list have not entered the competition which starts today. But that is not going to ease the workload of Ramanayake as the likes of Samson Vallabouy Shereen of Malaysia who has carried a seasonal best of 51.80 seconds are vying for top honours.

Team captain Gayanthika Abeyratne knows what it takes to win these championships. She tasted success in the 800 metres when the event was held in India in 2017. Two years later in Doha, she finished just outside the podium but later her position was upgraded to bronze after India’s gold medal winner Gomathi Marimuthu was stripped of her medal for taking a prohibited substance. She will commence her campaign when she takes part in the 1,500 metres today where her seasonal best of 4:12.50 is the second fastest time among competitors.

It will be a huge accomplishment for the veteran if she could be on the podium on the opening day. Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka is the favourite in the women’s 1,500 metres.

Javelin thrower Dilhani Lekamge, long jumper Sarangi Silva and triple jumper Randi Cooray too are expected to deliver their best when they take part in their pet events today.

(Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi)