Asian Games team reduced to 14 – Special appeal to include Amila, Nirmali and Nadeesha
The Athletics Association has reduced the Asian Games team to 14 from the original 24, as several athletes who had been selected could not perform up to the mark or failed to win at the National championship and will miss out.
Accordingly, the men’s 4x100m relay team has been omitted as only Himasha Eashan managed to run under 10.5 seconds during the Nationals, where both Vinoj Suranjaya de Silva and Yupun Priyadarshana could not compete. De Silva suffered from dengue earlier this year and Priyadarshana had been injured.
Long jumper Danushka Sandaruwan was unfortunate to miss out as he leapt 7.99m during the first trial to achieve the set qualification standard. On Sunday, Sandaruwan could not replicate his performance but came very close with a leap of 7.85m, which was just 0.01m behind the last Asian Games Bronze medalist. Unfortunately he finished fourth. H.G. Sampath leapt 7.76m, but with wind assistance of 4.1 m/s he was able to leap 8.12m to finish second.
Amila Jayasiri the Sri Lanka record holder finished third with a best of 8.02m.
Amila leapt over 8m thrice in the competition, with a best of 8.02m. The last Asian Games Gold medal went at 8.01m, which prompted AASL to make a special request on behalf of Amila to the National Olympic Committee (NOC). NOC has shown a positive interest towards the case since Amila’s name was already included in the long list of possible athletes, which was sent to Indonesia months ago.
The new poster boy of Sri Lankan Athletics, Asian Junior Gold medalist Aruna Darshana and Kalinga Kumarage made the cut for the individual 400m. They will be joined by Ajith Premakumara, Asian Junior Silver medalist Pasindu Kodikara and former National champion Dilip Ruwan in the 4x400m relay team.
The team also includes 800m runner Indunil Herath, who is currently training in Kenya, High Jumper Ushan Thiwanka and long jumper Janaka Prasad Wimalasiri who stunned the arena with a leap of 8.14m. The trio is expected to perform well and be among the medal contenders.
In the women’s event, 800m duo Nimali Liyanarachchi and Gayanthika Abeyrathne, who won Gold and Silver at the Asian Championship, are included in the team along with Asian Championship Silver medalist sprinter Rumeshika Rathnayaka. Nilani Rathnayaka, who set a new Sri Lanka record in the 3000m Steeplechase, also made the cut along with US based Hiruni Wijayarathne, who will compete in the 10,000m.
Upamalika Rathnakumari failed to run under 54 seconds at the Nationals and finished third in the 400m, but is included in the team for the mixed relay event, while winner Nadeesha Ramanayaka and second placed Nirmali Madushika were not included in the long list as their previous performances were not up to the mark.
However, AASL has made another request for the inclusion of Nadeesha and Nirmali in the team and if successful Sri Lanka will eye to participate in the 4x400m relay too with the fourth runner selected from one of the 800m runners (Nimali or Gayanthika) or 200m runner Rumeshika Rathnayaka.
Meanwhile, a few athletes who excelled at the Nationals were unfortunate to miss out due to the strict quota given by NOC earlier to the AASL and the cut-off date for selection which was 30 June.
Decathlon athlete Ajith Karunathilaka is one such athlete who collected 7,356 points to set a new Sri Lanka record, while also performing better than the AASL qualification limit of 7,300 points for the Games. But Karunathilaka could not even come close to that mark in the first trial which resulted in his omission. He will be dejected to miss out as he is ranked sixth in the Asian top list and third among Asian Games participants. Top five on the list are Japanese athletes and only two can be included in the Games.
Triple Jumper Vidusha Lakshani is also unfortunate as she could not impress during the last two trials, but returned to a season best of 13.60m during the Nationals, which elevated her to number five in the Asian top list.
| PB | SB | 2010 | 2014 | Current Standing in Asia (7th Aug) | |
| Aruna Darshana (400M , 4x400M,4x400m Mix Relay ) |
45.79 (400m) | 45.79 | G-45.12 S-45.32 B-45.71 |
G-44.66 S-45.62 B-45.92 |
9th |
| Kalinga Kumarage (400M , 4x400M , 4x400m Mix Relay ) |
46.08 (400m) | 46.08 | G-45.12 S-45.32 B-45.71 |
G-44.66 S-45.62 B-45.92 |
12th |
| Ajith Premakumara (4x400M) |
3:08.26 (4×400) | G-3:02.30 S-3:02.43 B-3:03.66 |
G-3:01.88 S-3:04.03 B-3:04.03 |
3rd | |
| Pasindu Kodikara (4x400M) |
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| Dilip Ruwan (4x400M) |
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| Janaka Prasad Wimalasiri (Long Jump) |
8.14 | 8.14 | G-8.11 S- 8.05 B-7.96 |
G- 8.01 S-7.90 B-7.86 |
3rd |
| Ushan Thiwanka (High Jump ) |
2.24 | 2.24 | G-2.27 S- 2.23 B-2.19 |
G – 2.35 S-2.33 B-2.25 |
12th |
| Indunil Herath (800m) |
1:47.14 | 1:47.14 | G-1:45.45 S-1:45.88 B-1:46.19 |
G-1:47.48 S-1:47.81 B-1:48.25 |
8th |
| Women | |||||
| Nimali Liyanarachchi (800m) | 2:02.58 | 2:04.04 | G-1:59.02 S-1:59.19 S-1:59.48 |
G-2:00.29 S-2:00.91 B-2:01.36 |
3rd |
| Gayanthika Abeyrathne (800M) |
2:02.55 | 2:04.16 | G-1:59.02 S-1:59.19 S-1:59.48 |
G-2:00.29 S-2:00.91 B-2:01.36 |
4th |
| Hiruni Wijeyrathne (10000m) |
33:55.06 | 33:55.06 | G-31:50.47 S- 31:51.44 B- 31:53.27 |
G-31:51.86 S-31:53.09 B- 31:55.67 |
10th |
| Nilani Rathnayaka (3000m Steeple Chase) |
9:46.76 | 9:46.76 | G-9:31.36 S-9:35.23 B-9:35.37 |
G-9:55.47 S-9:55.71 B-10:01.25 |
3rd |
| Rumeshika Rathnayaka (200M) |
23.40 | 23.43 | G-23.62 S-23.74 B-23.87 |
G-23.02 S-23.27 B-23.45 |
9th |
| Upamalika Rathnakumari (400M , Mix Relay 4×400) |
Special Request for Inclusion :- Amila Jayasiri Long jump 8.02M (Included in the long list)
Special Request for Inclusion Nadeesha Ramanayaka and Nirmali Madushika (not in the long list )
Full Results of Nationals :- https://goo.gl/EEM2FA
Full Results of the Second Trial :- https://goo.gl/mxWy8g
Full Results of the first Trial :- https://goo.gl/jZheCB
Asian Games 2014 Athletics results :-
Women
