World Championship berths at stake at the National Athletics Championships  

by Reemus Fernando  

Punching their tickets to the World Championships will be the main target of the country’s leading track and field athletes and their foreign counterparts when the 101st National Athletics Championship commences at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Friday.

Buoyed by the historic achievements at the recently held Asian Athletics Championships, Sri Lanka Athletics is aiming to field a strong team for the track and field’s flagship event in Budapest. The medallists of the regional event will be aiming to gain the maximum rankings points possible at the three-day event to qualify for the global event as the qualification period for the World Championships closes on the final day of the National Championships.

Despite winning the Asian titles both Nadeesha Ramanayake and Tharushi Karunaratne are not ranked high enough to compete in the World Championships. Currently, the women’s 800 metres Asian Champion Karunaratne is ranked fourth in Asia, while Asian bronze medallist Gayanthika Abeyratne is ranked third in the region. The national title together with a good performance is likely to elevate them to a higher position and a probable ticket to the World Championships. Ramanayake too is ranked fourth in Asia in her pet event of 400 metres.

For the women’s 800 metres the World Athletics has allocated 56 slots at the World Championships which will be filled both by athletes who reach the tough qualifying standard of 1:59.80 seconds and the highest ranked athletes in the ‘Road to Budapest 23’ rankings.

In the women’s category, Dilhani Lekamge is the next closest to a World Championship berth as her recent Sri Lanka record of 60.93 metres in the javelin throw has got her to the 45th position in the ‘Road to Budapest 23’ rankings. Whether they reach qualifying standards or not a good performance will augur well for the athletes as the ranking points gained will also help their Olympic aspirations in 2024.

In the men’s category, the 400 metres specialists Aruna Dharshana, Kalinga Kumarage, Rajitha Rajakaruna and Pabasara Niku will be vying for the top spot. They will also be competing to beat their Indian counterparts in the 4×400 metres relay. Sri Lanka Athletics has invited athletes from neighbouring countries for the National Championships in a bid to boost standards.

The country’s men’s 4×400 metres team has the second fastest time in the world this year. The team established a new Asian Championship record in winning the 4×400 metres gold ahead of India and they will be eager to repeat that performance in the 4×400 metres relay to keep alive their chances of qualifying for the World Championships.

Notable absentees

In the men’s category, Yupun Abeykoon is almost certain to secure a passage to the World Championships as he is currently ranked 34th in the ‘Road to Budapest 23’ rankings. The National Championship has not witnessed the prowess of the national record holder in a couple of years and this time too it will be for the likes of Chamod Yodasinghe to make up for the absence.

The women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase was one of the most looked-forward-to events of the national championships since Nilani Ratnayake commenced her winning streak in 2015. There will be a new champion in that event this time as Ratnayake is serving a suspension.

Chamal Kumarasiri will be eying for his second consecutive national title in the absence of the national record holder in the triple jump Shreshan Dananjaya who decamped during a competition in Europe recently.

The three-day championship will also be a testing ground for the team getting ready for the Asian Games. Sri Lanka Athletics will be monitoring the progress of the athletes who have been selected for the forthcoming Asian Games at this meet.