Darshana Proves Fitness as 20 Athletes Prepare to Depart for South Korea

Sprinter Aruna Darshana has confirmed his fitness for the upcoming Asian Athletics Championship 2025 with an impressive performance at a fitness test conducted in Colombo yesterday where Sri Lanka Athletics has officially named a 20-member squad for the championship, set to take place in South Korea from 27 to 31 May.

Darshana completed 300 metres in 33.41 seconds at the Sugathadasa Stadium, proving his recovery from an injury sustained at the recent World Relay Championship, where he had to withdraw from the Men’s 4x400m Relay after just a few strides.
The team will be led by Dilhani Lekamge, who won a Bronze Medal in the previous edition of the Asian Championship and Olympian Sumedha Ranasinghe. Sri Lanka secured three Gold Medals, two Silver, and three Bronze Medals at the last championship, finishing fourth in the medal tally behind Japan, China, and India.
The Men’s 4x400m Relay Team, which clinched Gold at the 2023 Asian Championship in Thailand, will aim to defend their title. They set a new national and championship record, clocking 3 minutes 01.56 seconds in the process. However, only Aruna Darshana and Kalinga Kumarage remain from the Gold-winning quartet, with three new athletes replacing Pabasara Niku, Rajitha Rajakaruna, and Pasindu Kodikara.
Quarter-miler Nadeesha Ramanayaka is Sri Lanka’s only returning individual Gold Medallist, competing in the Women’s 400m.
The squad includes four relay teams competing in the Men’s 4x100m, Men’s 4x400m, Women’s 4x400m, and Mixed 4x400m events.
The team features four Olympians in Aruna Darshana (Paris 2024), Yupun Abeykoon (Tokyo 2021), Dilhani Lekamge (Paris 2024) and Sumedha Ranasinghe (Rio 2016).
Ranasinghe ranks second in this year’s Asian top list with a personal best of 85.78m, while Rumesh Tharanga follows closely in third place with an 85.41m throw. The only athlete ahead of them is India’s Olympic Gold Medallist Neeraj Chopra, who leads the rankings with a season-best throw of 90.23m.
However, former Gold Medallist Tharushi Karunarathne will not be competing this year. Karunarathne won Gold in the 800m and two silver medals in the Women’s and Mixed 4x400m relays at the 2023 edition.
Initially excluded by Sri Lanka Athletics due to a disappointing performance at the Dubai Grand Prix, the Men’s 4x100m team was reinstated after a successful appeal to the National Selection Committee. The athletes argued that they had not competed together as a team since 2019, which affected their Dubai performance. SL team finished behind both India A and B teams in Dubai.
Team:
Men: Yupun Abeykoon (100m, 200m, 4X100m), Chamod Yodasinghe (100m, 4X100m), Kalinga Kumarage (200m, 400m, 4X400m, 4X400m mixed), Aruna Darshana (400m., 4X400m, 4X400m mixed), Lesandu Arthavidu (High Jump), Sumeda Ranasinghe (Javelin), Rumesh Tharanga (Javelin), Meron Wijesinghe (4X100m), Dineth Weeraratne (4X100m), Chamod Dissanayake (4X100m), Sadew Rajakaruna (4X400m, 4X400m mixed), Kalhara Indupa (4X400m, 4X400m mixed), Omel Sasintha Silva (4X400m, 4X400m mixed)
Women: Rasara Wijesuriya (5000m, 10000m), Dilhani Lekamge (Javelin), Nishendra de Silva (400m, 4X400m, 4X400m mixed), Nadesha Ramanayake (400m, 4X400m, 4X400m mixed), Sayuri Mendis (4X400m, 4X400m mixed), Jayeshi Uththara (4X400m, 4X400m mixed), Jithma Wijethunga (4X400m, 4X400m mixed)
Team Officials and Coaches: Irangani Rupasinghe (Manager/Lady Chaperone), I.M. Ranasinghe (Coach), Lal Wijewickarama (Coach), Tony Prasanna (Coach), Claudio Licciardello (Coach), Galderisi Matteo (Physiotherapist), Jagath Bandara (Masseur)