In an unforgettable milestone for Sri Lankan athletics, the highly acclaimed national atheltics team returned to the island last night (17th), solidifying a truly glorious moment in the nation’s sporting history. This remarkable achievement follows their participation in the esteemed 25th Asian Athletics Championship, where they showcased their exceptional skills and dedication on the international stage.
The Sri Lankan athletics team achieved a commendable fourth place in the overall standings of the tournament, securing an impressive haul of 3 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and 3 bronze medals. This exceptional performance stands as the team’s highest record in the history of these 25 matches.
Women’s 800m
Tarushi Karunaratne, the reigning Asian junior champion, showcased her exceptional talent and dominance in the women’s 800m event. At just 18 years old, she achieved an incredible feat by becoming the Asian champion in both the junior and senior 800m categories. Setting a new Asian record, Tarushi secured the gold medal with a remarkable time of 2:00.67 seconds.
Tarushi Karunaratne has emerged as the most gifted junior athlete ever produced in Sri Lanka, setting a remarkable new Asian record. Her exceptional talent shines through as she reigns as the champion with the fastest recorded time in both the junior and senior categories across Asia. Notably, she holds the South Asian junior record, as well as the records for Sri Lanka’s overall and junior categories.
Another notable achievement came from Sri Lankan athlete Gayantika Abeyratne, who secured a bronze medal in the 800m event.
Gayantika, who has previously earned a silver medal and two bronze medals in three Asian Athletics Games, now stands at 36 years old. Her impressive feat of winning a high-level international medal at the Asian level makes her the oldest player to accomplish this in Sri Lanka. Adding to her success, Gayantika also claimed another bronze medal on the first day of the competition, bringing her total medal count to 2. This marks the second time, following 2017, that the Sri Lankan team has secured two medals in the fiercely contested 800m event.
4m X 400 Relay – Men
This was the first time since 2003 that the Sri Lankan relay team won a gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships.
The combined team of Aruna Darshan, Rajitha Rajakaruna, Pabasara Nikoo and Kalinga Kumarage renewed the history of Asian athletics.
In an outstanding performance, the Sri Lankan relay team comprising Pabasara Niku, Pasindu Kodikara, Rajitha Rajakaruna, and Kalinga Kumarage recorded a time of 3 minutes 01.56 seconds.
This remarkable achievement not only established a new Asian Championship record but also set a new Sri Lankan record in the 400 X 4 relay event. Their time stands as the fastest ever recorded by a relay team in Asia, elevating their status to second place in the world priority list.
This exceptional relay team, composed of Pabasara Niku and Pasindu Kodikara, who were previous gold medalists at the 2018 South Asian Junior, Asian Junior, and World Junior competitions, showcased their immense talent and continued to excel on the international stage.
4mX400 Relay – Women
The team composed of Nadisha Ramanayake, Sayuri Mendis, Nisendra Fernando, and Tarushi Karunaratne represented Sri Lanka in the women’s 4 X 400 event, earning a well-deserved silver medal and setting a new Sri Lankan record with a recorded time of 03 minutes and 33.27 seconds.
This remarkable achievement marks the highest international medal ever won by Sri Lanka in the women’s 4 X 400 event.
Previously, in 2002, Sri Lanka had secured the bronze medal in this event, and in 2019, the team achieved fourth place.
Apart from Nadisha Ramanayake, the remaining three talented athletes on the team are making their debut representing Sri Lanka in an international competition.
Sayuri Mendis and Tarushi Karunaratne previously showcased their abilities as finalists in the mixed relay team at the 2021 World Junior Championships.
For Nisendra Fernando, this competition serves as their inaugural international experience.
Sri Lanka’s historic achievement in the Asian Championship Indoor Games can be summarized as follows: the team secured a remarkable fourth-place finish overall, set two new Asian records (men’s 4x400m relay and women’s 800m), established five Sri Lankan records (Women’s 800m, Men’s 4x400m, Women’s 4x400m, Medley Relay, Women’s Javelin), and achieved new Asian Junior, South Asian Junior, and National Junior records in the women’s 800m event. Out of the 13 team members, an impressive 11 athletes earned medals, highlighting their exceptional performances.
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